Genesis of a speedster
by Aggie Deneys
Summary: From the start, there was a familiarity about Barry Allen that caused a bit of unease for Iris West. Never did she expect to learn that he is the Flash. Nor did she anticipate how that fact would forever change the life of her nephew Wally West.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: These characters aren't mine.

A/N: This story is AU, but builds off some of the changes from DCnU. My knowledge of the DCnU is limited solely to reviews, editorials, and glancing at the monthly covers. Liberties have been taken. Likewise, many of the basic facts/origins are similar to the DCU (Wally being the obvious exception), but again, liberties have been taken when needed.

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><p>"So, what's this guy's name again?"<p>

"Barry Allen."

"Oh, yeah." There was a brief pause. "And what does he do?"

Iris West smiled and shook her head. Once again, her nephew proved that even when she thought he was listening, he really wasn't. She had shared the information of her date with him as soon as Barry had accepted the offer. She couldn't quite tell if he was fooling her now or if he had truly forgotten. She decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. "As I told you before, he's a scientist. He works in the Central City Police Department Crime Lab."

"Boring," Wally West replied with a grin, pretending to yawn.

"Says the man studying physics."

"Just following grandpa's footsteps."

"As long as you don't become absentminded like he is." Which given Wally's memory gaps, selective and otherwise, seemed to be a distinct possibility.

"What?"

"Ha, ha." Her father, Ira West, was the absentminded professor personified. The man was brilliant. He had numerous patents to his name. He had received a Nobel Prize in Physics. In the world of physics, when Ira West spoke, people listened. In the world of everyday life, Iris wondered how he ever survived. Little everyday things seemed to overwhelm him. More than once, Ira had lost his glasses, only to discover he had pushed them up on the top of his head at some point during the day. More than once, he had placed something metal in a microwave. More than once, forgotten pots had boiled away their contents on the stove. Daily survival skills were definitely not his forte. It was surprising the man hadn't burned down his own home yet.

"So, where are you meeting him?"

"That new Italian restaurant on Fourth Street."

"Order extra and bring it home for me."

Sadly, Iris knew Wally was only half kidding. The amount of food Wally could eat without gaining an ounce amazed her. The joys of youth. When his metabolism finally slowed down, her nephew was going to have a very rude awakening. "I'm sure I won't be able to finish my meal." She finished putting on her earrings. With a quick touch-up to her lipstick, she smiled at her reflection in the mirror.

In general, she hated the dating scene. She hated the games everyone played – the half truths, the out-right lies, the exaggerations. All she wanted was to meet someone who was forthright and honest, someone who was focused on something other than himself. That man had to be out there somewhere, didn't he? She had finally accepted the fact that she needed to stop dating guys in the media business. They seemed to redefine the term self-centered. She dreamed of going on a date in which the man wasn't trying to impress her with where he had been, what stories he had broken, what ratings he received, or where his career was going…of the date where the man was concerned about what she thought rather than what the other patrons in the restaurant or bar might be thinking about whom he was with or what he was saying or how he was appearing.

Barry Allen seemed a likely candidate for her first venture into the dating pool outside of the media world. Since she covered the crime beat for the newspaper, she had crossed paths with Barry on more than one occasion. His down-to-earth manner piqued her curiosity. While their interactions had been brief and his attention had been focused on the facts, he seemed intelligent. She wanted to believe there was a sense of humor behind his serious exterior. There had to be, didn't there? Without humor, how could one remain sane in the world of police forensics? To her surprise, she had asked him out on a date. There had been a brief hesitation before he had accepted. The hesitation worried her, but she had already asked the question. It had been too late to change her mind. In a few minutes, she would find out whether asking Barry Allen out on a date had been a good decision.

"I need to go. Don't wait up for me."

Wally smiled. "Have fun. Stay out of trouble."

The drive to the restaurant was uneventful. She was immediately seated at a table. Then the wait began. Iris glanced at her watch for what seemed like the hundredth time. Barry was late. She didn't want to believe he had stood her up. He didn't seem the type. She couldn't believe she could have misjudged him that badly. Still, he was twenty minutes late. The waiter had stopped by the table three times to ask if she wanted to order. The last time he had pointedly looked toward the front door where the lobby was filled with people waiting for a table to empty. To put off the man, she had ordered an appetizer she didn't feel like eating. Wally would be thrilled.

She looked at her cell phone again. The phone showed five bars. Perfect reception. Yet, it didn't ring. Nor was there a text message, or even an email, from Barry saying that he was running late. Her annoyance grew. Could her instincts have been that wrong about him? Generally, her instincts were on target. It seemed-

"Sorry, I'm so very sorry." Iris looked up in surprise as Barry suddenly appeared next to the table, a bouquet of flowers in his hand. He handed her the flowers. "I lost track of time. Not the best way to make a good impression. I'm really, really sorry."

Iris bit back her irritation. Okay, he was apologetic, and the flowers were a nice touch. She took the bouquet and breathed in the subtle fragrance. Looking up, she watched him sit down, place the napkin on his lap, and glance at the menu. She'd cut him some slack this one time, but the man was definitely on thin ice. How hard was it to make a call once he had realized he was running late? His blue eyes suddenly looked up and met her gaze. His eyes were filled with intelligence, and maybe even a hint of mischief? A smile appeared.

The eyes and smile made her pause. She hid a slight frown. There was something familiar about his eyes and smile, but what? She would have sworn she had seen them before, but where? When? Yes, they had crossed paths on the crime beat, but it wasn't any of those interactions. She was certain of that. It was something else. To her knowledge, though, she had never met him previously. Yet, how else could she explain the sudden, intense feeling she had that she had seen him, or at least those eyes and smile, previously? Why hadn't she noticed this before? There had to be a logical explanation. Something was triggering the feeling. Their paths must have crossed at some point in their lives.

Forcing herself back to the moment, she returned his smile and touched her wine glass. "It's okay." It really wasn't, but now wasn't the time to argue that point. If the date went poorly, she'd let him have at the end of the night. Wally would be disappointed if that happened. Her nephew enjoyed watching her give others a piece of her mind. "I ordered an appetizer. I needed to appease the waiter." She took a sip of wine.

Not surprisingly, the waiter immediately appeared. With their orders placed, the conversation began. Iris quickly realized it was unlike any conversation she had had on any other date. Barry didn't brag. If anything, he downplayed everything. She learned he had grown up in Fallville, Iowa. She learned he had always had an interest in solving problems which had resulted in an interest in chemistry and criminology. Barry admitted it was an unlikely combination, but with the sudden interest in forensic science, he had lucked out and found a career in which both of his interests were satisfied.

She shared her own story. Like him, she loved a mystery. Instead of pursuing that interest through science, though, she had focused on people. Journalism was her outlet. She viewed news stories as mysteries of their own because oftentimes the stories seemed to take on a life of their own.

The conversation flowed easily throughout the meal and during coffee afterwards. The realistic part of her personality noted that the evening was progressing too well. Barry seemed too good to be true. It was time for a test. "There's one thing you should know about me. My nephew lives with me. He moved in after his parents died." The statements were true, but she purposefully left a lot of unsaid. It was always interesting to see how her dates reacted to the news. Most immediately assumed Wally was a young boy. Rather than viewing her as single and available, she was viewed as a mother with baggage. The mention of Wally had caused more than one date to run in the other direction as fast as possible.

In reality, she had gained guardianship over Wally when she was a freshman in college. It hadn't been part of her life plan, but in the end, everything had worked out. That first year had been hard. She had been eighteen and a freshman in college. Suddenly, she was faced with being responsible for a thirteen-year-old. The transition had been rough for both her and Wally. Many nights she had cried herself to sleep, not knowing how she would survive another day. Wally had experienced a psychological trauma. Both of them had attended counseling sessions. Everything the therapist had warned her that Wally would try he did. More than once she had wanted to quit and give up. She didn't want to deal with all the emotional baggage. It was too much to ask. Then the guilt had always hit her. If she gave up, Wally would have nothing. Ira looking after Wally was a nonstarter. She was the only family option. Wally's life had been tough from the start. She had needed to prove to him that he could count on her, that she would be there for him no matter what he did or said, that no matter how hard he would try to push her away, she wouldn't let him go.

Eventually, Wally had realized she wasn't leaving him. When he had finally understood and accepted that fact, he had stopped testing her and had started to trust her. While life hadn't magically become easy street, it had become easier. It was more than she could have hoped. Looking back on those years, Iris was amazed how she and Wally had survived. Yet, here they were. He was an upstanding, intelligent young man. She couldn't have been more proud of his accomplishments.

"Were they in a car accident?"

"No. It was a murder-suicide. His mom shot his dad and then took her own life. He didn't have an easy childhood. His dad was an alcoholic. He was abusive. His mom never had the courage to ask for a divorce and the courts never saw fit to have my nephew removed."

"He must have been traumatized. I hope he was spared viewing the crime scene."

"Yes, thankfully, he was. He wasn't home when it happened. A neighbor heard and reported the shots."

"So, how has he adjusted?"

Iris hid her surprise. Barry was the first man to ever show any concern about her nephew's welfare. "He adjusted well. The first year was hard. He had nightmares. He worried he wouldn't be able to stay with me."

"He probably wasn't the only one who had some adjusting to do."

"No, he wasn't."

"Well, I hope I'm not being too forward, but I'd like to meet him someday. I'm sure he's as remarkable as his aunt."

Iris smiled slyly. "Play your cards right, Mr. Allen, and that won't be a problem."

Barry smiled.

The rest of the evening went just as smoothly. When she had originally asked him out, she had played it safe. Dinner only. It provided an easy out for both of them if the night went poorly. Now, Iris wished she hadn't been as cautious. She found herself wishing the night wouldn't end. When Barry suggested a walk along the riverfront, she realized he felt the same.

Two hours later, she softly shut the apartment door behind her. A smile refused to leave her face. As much as she didn't want to rush things, as much as she didn't want to jinx everything, as much as she didn't want to be one of those women who fell head over heels on the first date, she was 99 percent certain she had found Mr. Right. Never before had she been on a date quite like this one. Barry was truly a one-of-a-kind. She just wished that somewhere during the evening she would have figured out why his eyes and smile seemed so familiar. Maybe when she saw him again it would happen. Or maybe once Wally met him, Wally would know.

In the kitchen, she filled a vase with water and carefully placed the flowers in it. Taking off her shoes, she started toward her bedroom. The bluish halo of light shining from Wally's bedroom revealed her nephew to still be awake. He would never admit that he was waiting up for her. Yet, she knew that was the reason. She knocked softly on the doorframe. "You're still up?"

Wally looked up from the computer screen. "Yeah. I have to finish this application."

She sat down on the edge of his bed. "That's right. The STAR Labs application. How's it going?"

"Okay. As much as I don't want to ask Grandpa for a reference letter, I may. My profs are great, but none of them has won a Nobel Prize."

Iris nodded. Three weeks earlier Wally had informed her of a potential internship at STAR Labs. While Wally had noted it presented a great opportunity and would look great on his resume, Iris had known those weren't the only reasons Wally was interested. It seemed that STAR Labs was the laboratory of choice for the world's superheroes. When there things that even the heroes couldn't fully explain, STAR Labs would help out. Iris knew a small part of Wally was hoping that he would somehow be able to see his favorite superhero. Her nephew may have been a graduate student, but that didn't stop him from also being one of the Flash's biggest fans. "They'd be fools to not accept you."

"Yeah, well…" Wally shrugged. Iris recognized Wally's insecurity. When it came to his own abilities, Wally always seemed to second-guess himself. It was a remnant from his firs thirteen years of life, thirteen years in which he had been constantly reminded that he was no good. She suspected that self-doubt would always be a part of him. "So, how was your date?" he asked, a grin appearing. "Considering it was just for dinner and it's almost midnight, I'm guessing it went well. Or he bored you to sleep and you just woke up."

Iris playfully swatted his leg. "Barry was a perfect gentleman. The evening got off to a late start. He was late. He didn't call. But apart from that hang-up, everything else went fine."

"He passed the nephew test?"

Iris smiled. Wally knew about her test. "He'll be one of a select few that have managed to move on to round two of the nephew test. Which reminds me, are you free tomorrow for lunch?"

Wally didn't try to hide his surprise. "Lunch? With Barry?"

"Yes, lunch with Barry. I'd like you to meet him and him to meet my nephew."

"Wait. You mean I actually get to meet him?"

"You've met other guys I've dated."

"True, but even those who made it to round two of the nephew test, you never introduced me as your nephew. Instead, I was just a friend. You used me as a slime-checker. You think they're slime, but you aren't sure. I confirm they're slime."

"Well, I think you'll have a hard time trying to prove Barry's a slimeball."

Wally cocked his head and looked at her closely. "I never thought I'd see my aunt fall." Iris blushed. "This Barry must be something."

"He is. Even though there's something about his eyes and smile that's familiar. I can't quite place it. From everything he's said, our paths have never crossed. Yet, I'd swear I've seen that smile before. Maybe you'll recognize him when you meet him."

"Maybe. Back-to-back dates. You really do like this guy."

"Yeah, I do." She stood up and kissed the top of his head. "Get some sleep."

"G'night, Iris." Wally's attention focused back on the laptop.

"Goodnight, Wally."

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><p>Hal Jordan, aka Green Lantern 2814.1, glanced up as the newcomer entered the Watchtower's monitor womb. "You're late," he announced.<p>

"I know. Sorry."

Hal shook his head. Getting irritated was pointless. Lateness was just a fact of life for Barry Allen. One would think the fastest man alive would always be early, but that wasn't the case. Hal had long since learned to try to not let Barry's tardiness bother him. Usually it didn't. Hell, he purposefully made sure his monitor duty time was always scheduled before Barry's time to try to protect Barry. If Barry were late, which was almost a given, usually Barry was never more than thirty minutes late. Hal highly doubted the other leaguers, particularly Bruce, would tolerate Barry's perpetual lateness. Then again, they probably already knew. It wasn't like Barry was just late for monitor duty. He was usually late for League meetings as well, but that tardiness could be could be easily explained away or ignored. Besides, most members were tardy at some point, even Bruce.

"So, what's the excuse this time?" Just because he covered for his friend, didn't mean he couldn't tease him a bit.

"I, um, had a date."

The mask hid Hal's surprise. Barry Allen on a date? It seemed impossible. Hal had known Barry for five years. During all that time, as far as Hal knew, Barry had never gone out on a date. Barry argued he didn't have time. Between his real life and hero life, every minute of his day was accounted for. Hal found that impossible to believe. No one was that dedicated…well, maybe Bruce. But thankfully Barry wasn't Bruce. Besides, even Bruce found time to date.

At first, Hal had tried to set Barry up on dates. Barry had refused. Then Hal had purposefully taken Barry to bars. The result would have been humorous if it hadn't been so sad. Barry had had no clue as to how to approach or talk to women. He didn't try to schmooze or impress them. If they talked about something in which he wasn't interested, Barry didn't even try to feign interest. Worse, even if a woman showed a spark of interest, Barry was oblivious to it. Hal had given up. There was only so much he could do. Besides, going out with Barry had actually started to damage his own success with women and that was unacceptable. "You? A date? You're kidding."

"Yes, a date."

"Details, please."

"What?"

"Details. What's her name? How'd you meet? What'd you do? You know, details." There was also the key question of how the sex was, but this was Barry. While it had never been a topic of discussion between then, given Barry's ineptitude around women, Hal suspected Barry had never yet had sex. Even if that weren't the case, he couldn't picture Barry having sex with someone on the first date. He knew Barry's thoughts on his own ways with women. More than once Barry had suggested that Hal should work on building a relationship first, rather than rushing the sex. Hal would have given Barry's words more consideration if Barry had ever actually had a relationship.

"Oh. Her name's Iris, Iris West. She's a reporter for the Central City Citizen. She stopped me after a hearing one day and asked if I'd-"

"She asked you out?" It was starting to make a bit more sense. Barry asking someone out just didn't see possible. At the same time, though, Hal couldn't quite picture a woman asking Barry out.

Barry nodded. "We went out for dinner. Afterwards we walked along the riverfront. I never met a woman who was that easy to talk to."

Hal smiled. Barry was smitten. "So, are you going out again?"

"Tomorrow, or I guess, today. It's after midnight. We're going out to lunch. I'm meeting her nephew."

"Her nephew?" Hal frowned.

"Yeah. He lives with her and she-"

"She has a kid?" Warning bells were starting to sound.

"Well, sort of, I guess."

"Bar, you need to run the other way. You don't want to get involved with a woman with a kid. It's just added strings." Kids were major strings. Kid meant significant others were involved somehow, someway. Kids meant added responsibilities. Kids made ending a relationship all that much harder.

Barry frowned. "Maybe that's what you would do, but I'm going to meet him."

"Suit yourself, but I think you're making a mistake." Hal glanced at the monitors.

"Well, it will be my mistake."

Out of the corner of his eye, he realized he had pushed Barry too far. Barry's irritation was plainly evident. "Look, I'm sorry."

"Just because you're a jerk toward women, doesn't mean I need to be, okay?"

"Point taken." It was time to switch gears. "So, if she's a newspaper reporter, has the Flash met her before?"

"Yeah." Barry scratched at the back of his cowl. "She's met him. She's interviewed him." Barry sighed. "I finally meet someone, someone I like and who seems to like me, and I have to immediately start lying. It's not right."

"But it's for your safety and hers."

"I know. I just…I hate lying to her, but what can I do?"

"You knew from the start you'd have to lie to her. This isn't news. If it's going to be a problem, why'd you agree to go out with her?"

"She…" A small smile appeared. "She's out of my league, Hal. She's…women like her don't notice men like me. Besides, I knew if I turned her down, she'd view it as a challenge. She'd keep pestering me until I said yes. So, I did. I figured she'd realize she made a mistake and that would be the end of it. I didn't think we'd hit it off."

Barry description of this woman piqued Hal's curiosity. He'd have to meet her, or at least see her. "You wear a mask. She won't know."

"She's perceptive."

"Barry, the chances of her connecting you and the Flash are slim to none. Unless, of course, you do something." Which, with Barry, was a distinct possibility.

"I know…but I just hate having to lie to her. If this works, I mean, if this turns into something, sooner or later, I'll need to tell her the truth. What will she think of me then when she learns I've been lying to her?"

The fact Barry already envisioned a future with this woman, that Barry was willing to commit to this woman after just one date… Hal shivered at the thought. "She'll understand," Hal reassured, even though he didn't fully believe it. Barry was lying to her. He was keeping a huge and important part of his life from her. How many women would really understand?


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: These characters aren't mine.

A/N: This story is AU. See Chapter 1 for more info.

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><p>Wally smirked as he watched Iris move around the apartment. He couldn't remember a time when he had seen his aunt nervous. Iris was always the picture of "calm, cool, and collected." Nothing seemed to ever rattle her. That is, nothing had ever seemed to rattle her until her date with the police scientist. Had he had had to bet on her date, he would have bet that it would have ended early. Had he known this date would show up fifteen minutes late, he would have doubled the odds. Iris had high standards and woe to anyone who didn't meet those standards. One mistake, even an innocent mistake, tended to spell doom. The fact that this Barry Allen had been late, had been late and not called her, and yet still made it to a second date spoke volumes about the man. Over the years, Iris had gone on many dates. Few had made it past the first date, and those select few were usually history by the fourth date. However, Iris' reactions were different this time. Wally suspected he was about to meet someone who would be able to achieve what no other man had ever before done – make it to a fifth date.<p>

When he had gotten up in the morning, he had immediately spotted the bouquet of flowers on the kitchen counter. The flowers had been a nice touch. While Iris didn't need or particularly want displays of anything, she did value the little touches in life. Roses of any color would have turned her off. It had been just a first date. If Barry had given her roses, Wally knew Barry would not have made it to date two. Roses were…well, Iris would have viewed them as a bit too much for a first date. But bouquet of mixed flowers would get a reaction. It would meet Iris' definition of a "nice touch." Yet another mark in the plus column for this Barry Allen.

Learning she was going out with a police scientist had surprised him. She was venturing out of her normal dating pool – high profile men all having some tie to the media, whether they were anchors or reporters or athletes or even once a politician. Wally had always believed those men were simply wrong for Iris. Sure, she was in the media and used to the spotlight, but Iris didn't care about status or popularity or stature. Iris needed someone who had strong beliefs, not someone who would be influenced by an opinion poll. Iris needed to be challenged, not someone who would agree with her to make her happy.

"The apartment is fine," he finally commented. "Nothing's out of place."

Iris stopped and smiled sheepishly. "Sorry."

"I can't remember you being this nervous about a date."

"You're right."

Even though she was standing still, Wally could sense the nervous energy coming off of her. It said something about this Barry Allen that he could fluster her this much. "So, what happens if he passes stage two of the nephew test?"

A small smile appeared. "No one's ever made it past stage two."

"Nope. No one has. Heck, I've never been introduced as the nephew before, which makes my question all the more important."

"He could very well blow this lunch thing, fail the test."

"Yes, he could." Wally paused. "You're probably nervous for nothing."

"Yes, you're most likely right."

Wally could tell his words were doing nothing for Iris. He shook his head. "You're hopeless."

Fifteen minutes later they arrived at the restaurant. A man with short blond hair stood as they entered. Iris handled the introductions. Wally watched Barry closely for any looks of surprise at meeting a grown man instead of a boy. When Iris stated her nephew lived with her, her dates assumed – incorrectly – that said nephew was in grade school. Barry showed no reaction. Score one for Barry, Wally thought.

"I figured after last night that I needed to show you that I could actually be on time for something," Barry said with a smile as they sat down.

Score two for Barry, Wally thought. He glanced at Iris to wait for her reaction. She was blushing? He shook his head and opened the menu. What was the world coming to?

As lunch progressed, Wally found himself liking Barry immensely. He found himself understanding why Iris was behaving so differently. Barry was the exact opposite of the other men Iris had dated. If Barry had an ego, it was well-hidden. Barry was unassuming, asking thoughtful questions and acting as if he really cared about the answers. Barry was intelligent. More importantly, when Iris purposefully – because Wally knew his aunt – took the opposite viewpoint, a viewpoint which he knew she didn't believe, Barry didn't back down just to try to win her over.

When Iris excused herself to go to the restroom, Wally smiled at Barry. Barry returned the smile. "Am I passing whatever test there is?"

Wally grinned. "Are we that obvious?"

"No, but I figured there was something." Barry paused. "You two are very close."

"Yeah. She's my aunt, guardian, sister, mom, and friend all rolled into one."

"She didn't say much about you last night, but I could tell she was very proud of you." Wally blushed. No matter how many compliments came his way, he was never comfortable receiving them. He didn't deserve them. "I'm sorry about what happened to your parents. I can't begin to imagine what you experienced."

Inwardly, Wally frowned. How much had Iris told Barry? Usually, Iris just stated her nephew lived with her and left it at that. Barry's comments, though, hinted that he knew more of the story. "What did she tell you?"

"That your parents were killed. That it was a murder-suicide."

Iris had never shared that information. It didn't upset him that she had. That part of his life was history. Besides, anyone could find out that information. It had made the headlines in Blue Valley for a week. Once again, though, he realized how taken his aunt was with this man. Even from his brief time with Barry, Wally could understand.

Since Barry knew some of the facts, Wally decided to share the rest of the story. Barry may as well completely understand the situation, have a thorough knowledge of his and Iris' relationship. Besides, enough years had passed that talking about his parents' deaths and everything – well, maybe not everything, Iris didn't even know everything – that had occurred prior to their deaths wasn't as painful as it once had been.

Family life in the West household had been anything but ideal or serene. Arguing and shouting had been the norm. From an early age, Wally had learned to keep a very low profile, to not draw attention to himself. Then and now, he wanted to believe that his parents had loved him in their own unique way. They had been two people unsuited for parenthood. They had been two people who never should have married, and they wouldn't have gotten married if it hadn't been for him. His mom had gotten pregnant. Marriage, at least in the eyes of his parents, had been the only alternative.

Iris had been the bright spot in his life. He had cherished the times he could spend with her. She had provided the comfort and love that he had needed. She still did. When his parents had died, the authorities had at first focused on having him live with his grandpa. While Wally had no doubts that his grandpa would have taken him in, he also had known it would not have been a healthy situation for either of them. His grandpa wouldn't have been able to handle him, wouldn't have been able to meet his needs, particularly his emotional needs. Thanks to the efforts of his social worker and a child psychologist, Iris had been given the opportunity to prove herself. She had.

Wally hated to think about what Iris had given up for him. Iris argued she hadn't given up anything; that everything had worked out in the end. Still, that first year with Iris had been challenging. He had arrived with a significant amount of emotional baggage. Placing the responsibility of dealing with that baggage on the shoulders of an eighteen-year-old had been a risk. As Iris would say, they had muddled through that first year. Eventually, they had found their way. Wally knew he wouldn't be the person he was today if it weren't for Iris.

"What are you men talking about?" Iris asked, returning to her seat.

"You," Wally answered with a smile.

"Wally was telling me how he came to live with you."

"Ah, yes, and what do you think about all of it?"

The question was phrased innocently, yet Wally knew Iris was yet again testing Barry. The poor man would be facing many more tests until Iris was satisfied with whatever answer she was seeking. "That you and Wally, when faced with less than ideal circumstances, managed to make the most of it and not let those circumstances define who you would be." Score yet another point for Barry, Wally thought, when Iris shifted her gaze from Barry and subtly nodded her head.

Barry sensed the need for a topic change. "So, are you in college?"

"Graduate school."

"Really? I never would have guessed. You don't look old enough."

"Last week I was carded going to an R rated movie," Wally noted. It had been embarrassing. Worse,it was a frequent occurrence. Iris teased him that he would appreciate his youthful appearance as he got older. Wally doubted it.

Barry chuckled.

Iris smiled and moved the conversation back to school. "Wally's a bit of an overachiever. His last semester of high school was all AP classes that counted for college credit. Then he managed to finish college in three years."

Barry smiled. "So, did I. What are you studying?"

"Physics." Considering most people got a glazed look in their eyes as soon as he mentioned physics, Wally was surprised when Barry didn't. He reminded himself that Barry was a scientist. "I want to teach high school science classes. I graduated with a double major in education and physics. My advisors strongly encouraged me to keep an open mind and get my master's degree in physics. I figured it couldn't hurt. Besides, it might help me get an actual teaching position rather than just subbing all the time. I applied and received some offers I couldn't refuse, but they were all doctorate programs. So, while I still want to be a high school teacher, I figured I may as well see if I could add a few letters after my name. Don't know if I'll make it."

"Of course you will," Iris admonished.

Iris, his biggest supporter. She never questioned his abilities. She seemed to know him better than he knew himself at times. "Yeah, I suppose. All I need to do is corner grandpa."

At the confused look on Barry's face, Iris quickly explained. "My father, Wally's grandfather, is Ira West. He-"

"Won a Nobel Prize for Physics," Barry finished. A quick glance at Iris told Wally she was just as impressed that Barry knew who Ira was. "Wow. You have some big shoes to fill."

"Tell me about it."

"Tell him about the STAR Lab intership," Iris encouraged.

Wally noticed the twinkle in his aunt's eyes. He refrained from rolling his eyes. As usual, Iris was more proud – and more willing to brag – about his life than he was. "I'm applying for an internship at STAR Labs. It doesn't really fit in with my high school science teacher goal, but it would look great on a resume. Besides, maybe I'll be able to see the Flash or one of the other heroes." At the mention of the Flash, a mask quickly appeared and then disappeared from Barry's face. Wally looked at Iris. From the slight frown on her face, she had noticed the same thing.

"Something wrong with the Flash?" Iris asked casually. Wally detected the hint of coolness in her voice. Barry was suddenly on thin ice.

Barry seemed to recover. A smile appeared. "No. He's…he's, well, he's actually hard to describe, isn't he? But he's helped the department a lot." A speculative look remained on Iris' face. Barry forced a smile. "Well, I hope you get the internship, Wally."

"Yeah, so do I." Wally glanced again at Iris. He could literally see the gears in her mind turning. Suddenly, he understood why so few men reached date two.

"So, what do you think of all these costumed heroes that have suddenly appeared?" Iris took a sip of her coffee. Wally inwardly groaned. Iris was had found a potential weakness and was honing in, even though it was in a topic area that surprised Wally. If Barry had been going to fall, Wally hadn't guessed it would be on the topic of heroes.

"Well, like the Flash, they seem to be helping."

Even though he knew he was risking Iris' ire, Wally felt the need to rescue Barry. He liked Barry. He wanted Barry to actually make it to date number three. "Have you ever seen him? Met him?"

"No, I haven't had the pleasure."

"Iris has. He's given her a couple interviews," Wally noted, pointedly ignoring the death glare Iris sent his way.

"Really?" Barry looked at Iris. "So, as the resident Flash expert at this table, what does he seem like?"

Iris smiled, though there was little warmth in the smile. "I'd say his heart is in the right place. He doesn't brag about what he can do. He simply seems interested in helping."

An innocent look appeared on Barry's face. Wally hid his smile as Barry tossed Iris' question back at her. Barry Allen proved that he could keep up with his aunt. "So, do you think something's wrong with him?"

"I…no, but one has to wonder if his appearance, and the appearance of these other costumed heroes, resulted in the appearance of all the rogues, as they are called, that seem to want to cause nothing but trouble." This was a topic he and Iris had debated on numerous occasions. Did the appearance of the heroes cause the appearance of all the costumed villains? Or would have the costumed villains appeared no matter what? There were also the sudden appearances of planet-wide crises. The coincidence was hard to ignore.

"Well, that's a chicken-and-egg discussion, but, no matter the answer, I'd say I'm glad we have the heroes. I know the Flash has saved many lives. Same for the other heroes."

As the lunch continued, Wally noticed Iris seemed to relax again. By the time lunch ended and they said their goodbyes, he could tell Barry had regained his footing with her. Wally was glad. Barry and Iris seemed like a good match.

"So, will he make to it date three?" Wally asked as he and Iris drove back to her apartment.

Iris smiled. "Yes, I think he will. What did you think about him?"

"Not what I was expecting. He's a bit nerdy, but he's honest, caring…" Wally shrugged. "He's definitely not the usual men you date. Better yet, I think he can keep up with you."

Iris nodded, a wistful expression on her face. "Yes, he is all those things. I just…" She shook her head and chuckled. "I feel like I'm back in high school." Wally laughed. "So, was there anything familiar about him?"

Iris had shared with him her feelings of familiarity. Iris had a sharp memory. If she had met him previously, it was difficult to believe that she couldn't remember when. "No, sorry. Did it happen again today?"

"Yes. Once. When the topic turned to the Flash."

"I thought you said it was his eyes and smile."

"It is, but…" She sighed. "I'm probably wrong."

"Well, is the feeling a good thing or a bad thing? I mean, is it like an 'oh-oh, I know this guy from somewhere' or an 'where have I seen him before?' thing?"

"I don't know. I want to say the latter. I'd like to believe that my subconscious would warn me otherwise."

"Well, if it puts your mind at rest at all, I'd say he passed the nephew test with flying colors."

Iris smiled. "Yes, that he did."

* * *

><p>"So, how was the nephew? Obnoxious kid?" Hal opened his bottle of beer and took a sip. His gaze never left Barry. His friend was obviously in a good mood. It was easy to see the date had gone well, which seemed odd. He still couldn't understand why Barry would want to get involved with a woman who had a kid, even if said kid was her nephew rather than her son. It wasn't that Hal didn't like kids. He loved his niece and nephew. They were two of the greatest kids ever, but a huge part of their charm was that at the end of the day, they went home with his brother and sister-in-law. Sure, maybe someday, if he ever met the right woman, he'd start a family, but that someday was far off in the future.<p>

Barry smiled, turning his own bottle of beer between his hands. "No. The kid is a graduate student studying physics and applying for an internship at STAR Labs, partly in hope that he can someday meet the Flash."

That was unexpected, but Hal rolled with the new information and smirked. "If he only realized he had just met the Flash." His comment caused a subtle darkening of Barry's mood. Barry was still anxious about concealing his hero identity. His friend was going to have to get over it. "So," Hal began, switching topics, "if this kid's in college, how old is Iris? Fifty? Sixty?" He had assumed Iris would be near their age, but then again, the thought of an older woman did make a certain sort of sense when it came to Barry. Hal could easily picture it. At least an adult kid would be much easier to deal with than a young one.

"Our age. Late twenties."

Well, there went that picture. "You sure he's her nephew?"

"Yes, he's her nephew," Barry replied in irritation.

"Sorry." Barry nodded, but refused to meet Hal's gaze. Hal sighed. Barry was a great friend. At times Hal wondered why Barry put up with him. Yet for all of Barry's greatest, it was frustrating that Barry still hadn't adjusted to his sarcasm. Worse, Hal purposefully toned down many of his sarcastic remarks when he was around the speedster. If he said even half of the remarks that entered his mind, Hal doubted he and Barry would still be friends. And to think that many, including Barry, accused him of talking before thinking…if they only knew… Rather than venture down that roadway any further, Hal changed the topic. "So, the nephew wants to work at STAR Labs. Do you think he has a chance of getting the position?"

"Wally's bright, intelligent. And I learned that his grandfather, Iris' father, is Ira West." Obviously Hal was supposed to recognize the name. Hal didn't have a clue. Who was Ira West? He had never heard of him. "The man won a Nobel Prize in Physics. I'm guessing that at least two or three of the pieces of equipment on the Watchtower use parts or processes that he patented."

"And that's important…?" Hal really didn't understand the significance. The man was smart. Big deal. Most likely there were patents dating back to Thomas Edison that were in use on the Watchtower as well. Who cared?

Barry started to peel the label off the bottle. "The man is brilliant. When I first got these powers, he was one of the scientists I had sought out to try to help me understand why I could do what I did."

"And did he?"

"No. In all honesty, while the man is brilliant, he's a bit absentminded. I'm not really sure he knew who the Flash was. I don't think my appearance even registered."

"So, I ask again, what's the big deal? Most likely this Ira doesn't even remember meeting the Flash. If he did, I'm sure his daughter and grandson would have known about it. And even if he did remember, you didn't unmask did you?" Barry shook his head. "Then there's nothing to worry about."

"Except it's one more little lie to add to the growing pile."

"What pile?"

Barry pinched the bridge of his nose. "When Wally mentioned his hope of seeing the Flash, he caught me off-guard. I stumbled. Iris jumped. I could see the suspicion in her eyes. We then had a discussion about whether it was the heroes who caused the costumed villains to appear, or if the villains would have appeared no matter what."

"And her viewpoint?"

His friend shrugged. "She never really said, just that the Flash's heart is in the right place."

"Barry, I honestly think you're blowing this out of proportion. You didn't lie to her today."

"Maybe not outright, but I did by omission."

Hal fought the urge to roll his eyes. Barry was making a mountain out of a speck of sand. With identities on the line, too much was at risk. Besides, she was a journalist. That only increased the risk of her sharing the information with the world. There really was no option. "And has she told you everything about herself? Has she omitted anything? She didn't tell you her nephew's age. Was that a lie by omission? Or just a convenient oversight?" Barry frowned, but remained silent. Hal knew if he pushed much more, Barry would get angry, or at least Barry's version of angry which was the silent treatment. Hal had never really seen the man mad, had never heard him yell, had never seen him punch or kick a wall in frustration. Barry seemed to have the patience of a saint. Sure, Hal knew what buttons to push, but Barry's voice never became raised, only an increased coolness could be heard.

An idea suddenly came to him. "Let me meet her."

"What?"

"Let me meet her," Hal repeated. "She had her nephew check you out. You can have your best friend check her out. Fair is fair." Besides, the more Hal learned about this woman, the greater his curiosity grew.

"I don't know," Barry said slowly.

"What? Embarrassed of me?" Barry shook his head, but Hal noticed a slight flush to his friend's face. He frowned. "I promise I'll try to behave myself."

"It's not that. It's just…"

"Just what?"

Barry took a deep breath and met his gaze. "You have a way with women. You just naturally know what to do and say. It's easy for you."

It was the truth. Hal knew he was an expert when it came to flirting. Getting a woman to go home with him at the end of the night wasn't much of a challenge. However, getting involved in a relationship was a challenge. Hal knew part of the problem was the women he chose. Yes, he was interested in having a good time. His words and actions didn't convey any sort of long-term commitment. Then there was also the fact that the word "commitment" scared the hell out of him. For the few women he had met over the years where the opportunity of a long-term relationship had been a possibility, Hal had run the other way.

It seemed strange to think that Barry was a little jealous of him. Or perhaps it was worried. Either way, it was pointless. Besides, if Hal were honest with himself, he was actually a bit jealous of Barry. It had been a long time since Hal had been in love with someone and looking at Barry it was plain to see his friend was falling in love with Iris West.

"Barry, Iris is interested in you. If you think meeting me would cause her to lose interest in you, then she really isn't who you think she is."

A small smile appeared. "You're right. Sorry."

Hal grinned. "So, how does Saturday sound?"


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: These characters aren't mine.

A/N: This story is AU. See Chapter 1 for more details.

* * *

><p>Iris eyed Hal Jordan over the top of her glass of beer. Beer wasn't her favorite beverage choice, but requesting a glass of wine would only raise eyebrows. One didn't order a glass of wine at a bar, at least not this bar. One drank beer or shots or mixed drinks. Besides, the wine choices probably left a lot to be desired. Those were all good reasons to not have a glass of wine, but the main reason was image. As much as she hated to admit it, she found herself wanting to make a good impression with Barry's friend Hal. Barry respected Hal and would value Hal's feedback. Instinct told her Hal would appreciate the beer and not the wine.<p>

Hal Jordan was not what she had expected. She hated to admit that she had stereotyped Hal to be similar to Barry. Conservative, soft-spoken, an air of naivety. Hal was anything but those things. In fact, he and Barry seemed to be complete opposites in everything. Where Barry tended to be a bit introverted, Hal was extroverted. Where Barry was soft spoken, Hal was outspoken. Where Barry seemed content to let life go at its own pace, Hal was all action.

Then there was looks. Iris knew most people would consider Barry average looking. He wasn't a man who would turn heads. He wasn't a man who would naturally attract or call attention to himself. Once again, she had assumed Hal would be similar. She hadn't expected to find Hal attractive. The man was very handsome. Surprisingly, the man seemed oblivious to how good-looking he was, to the stares and second looks he was receiving from many of the female patrons. That was a nice change of pace from her male media counterparts who at times redefined the word "vain." Looking at Hal and Barry together, it was as if the good-looking high school jock had befriended the easily overlooked high school scholar.

"I'm going to find the men's room," Barry announced. "I'll get another round of drinks on the way back." He kissed Iris on the cheek, his hand resting possessively on her waist. Since she and Barry had met Hal at the bar, Barry had acted possessive. It was sweet, amusing and annoying all at the same time.

Iris noticed the pointed look he sent in Hal's direction before he left. She also noticed the playful gleam in Hal's eyes. Hal was obviously having fun at his friend's expense. She bit back a smile for Barry's sake until he was gone. "I think he's a bit worried about you," she stated.

The twinkle remained in Hal's eyes. "Should he be?"

"No." Yes, Hal Jordan was attractive, but Barry was well on the way to winning her heart even if his current actions left something to be desired.

Hal sipped his beer. "That's what I told him. Besides, I promised to be on my best behavior."

The smile could only be described as roguish…and infectious. Iris found herself returning the smile. "And this is your best behavior?"

"Well, you'd have to ask Barry about that, but considering I'm in the company of a beautiful woman and have not done anything to embarrass either her or myself, at least not yet, I'd have to say yes."

Damn. He was good. Hal was…well, the word that instantly came to her mind was "rakish." He was smooth and charming. Had she not had such memorable experiences dating men used to the media spotlight, she probably wouldn't be immune to Hal's charms. As it were, she found his charms amusing. If anything, he made her appreciate Barry all the more. The real Barry was the man one immediately saw. He didn't hide who he was. The real Hal was hidden somewhere underneath the suave. She'd have to reassure Barry that he had nothing to worry about.

"So, am I what you were expecting?" As soon as she asked the question, she realized she was stooping to Hal's level. Flirt for flirt. That was the last thing she had meant. But the question was asked, she was curious to see how he would respond.

To her surprise, Hal hesitated. Iris suspected he had a quick retort ready. For whatever reason, he had held it back. "Truth time," she continued, hoping he would take the bait. Hal looked at her closely, but still hesitated. Iris knew he was deciding on how much he trusted her. Maybe she would get a glance at the real man. "How about if I go first?" she suggested.

"Sounds good. What were you expecting?"

Iris shrugged. "Well, Barry hadn't told me much about you except your name and that he considers you his best friend. So, I mentally pictured someone similar to Barry."

Hal grinned. "And?"

"I hate to admit how far off I was."

Hal laughed. "Would wearing a lab coat or pocket protector have helped?"

She smiled. "No."

"Glasses held together with electrical tape?"

"No, but you would have made Barry look more cutting edge."

The grin remained. "Well, that makes two of us," he admitted. "I was a bit off as well."

"And what did you have in mind?" Iris had a fairly good guess, but she wanted to hear Hal verbalize it.

He shifted his stance. "Well, it will make me sound like a jerk, but then again, I've been called worse. When Barry first told me about you, I figured someone older. I don't know why. It just seemed like that's what it would be. When he said you had a nephew, that confirmed it for me. Then he told me that you were our age. So, I readjusted the image in my mind and pictured someone a bit more…bookish."

He was holding back. Of that Iris was certain. Just like she was certain "bookish" wasn't the only term he would have used. Worse, his answer – or lack of it – irritated her. To her chagrin and against her better judgment, she pushed. "Perhaps mousy? Timid? Plain? Frumpy? But those were probably covered by 'bookish.'" Hal blushed slightly, quickly looking away. She guessed that wasn't a common occurrence. Suddenly, she felt embarrassed by her reaction. She had asked the question, asked him to be honest. She shouldn't have attacked him for his honesty. "Sorry. Wally, my nephew, would have warned you that I tend to ask loaded questions, and he would have told me not to ask the question if I wasn't prepared for the answer."

"Sounds like a smart guy."

"That he is. Did Barry tell you about him?"

"A little. And since I've already dug my hole, I may as well dig it a little deeper and admit that I told him to run the other way and avoid strings. That was before I knew your nephew was an adult."

Her irritation flashed again, but she fought it back. His comment didn't really surprise her. It fit his type. His honesty, though, was unexpected. Perhaps there was more to Hal Jordan than met the eye. Perhaps she needed to cut him a little slack. "And now?"

"Well, if he's anywhere near as feisty as his aunt, Barry better watch himself." Iris laughed. Hal smiled. "Let's just say you're not what I expected," he said.

"Ditto." They clinked their beer glasses together in a mock toast.

It was at that moment Barry returned. He carefully set the drinks on the table. "What did I miss?"

"Nothing much. Just wowing Iris with my irresistible charm," Hal teased.

The smile on Barry's face looked forced. Iris shook her head and kissed Barry's cheek. "And I was giving him hell for it." She held Barry's gaze for a moment and then gave him another quick kiss. He seemed to relax. "So, how did you two meet?"

Even as they told the story of how they met, Iris fought from slipping into her reporter persona. She wanted to grill them, ask them probing questions. Their story just didn't add up. It didn't make sense. Supposedly, they had met a few years back when a gorilla had been rampaging through Central City. The gorilla part seemed about as likely as her winning the lottery, but then again, since the heroes had arrived, things that had seemed unbelievable before were more often than not the real story now. Even if she gave them the benefit of the doubt regarding the gorilla, it still didn't explain the friendship. Their jobs didn't require them to cross paths. Barry was a police scientist, Hal was a pilot in the Air Force. They hadn't grown up together. Fallville, Iowa and Coast City, California were probably as different as day from night. They hadn't attended same college. Even if a gorilla had placed them together, there was nothing that should have kept them together.

How likely was it that two people who just happened to cross paths, who lived in different cities in different states, who had opposite personalities, who hadn't grown up together, who hadn't gone to school together, who didn't even work in the same field, would just decide to start a friendship? She could understand if they were acquaintances, but these two men were very good friends with absolutely nothing in common. Something was off. She would definitely check out the gorilla story, even though her heart told her the story was true. If they were going to lie, they wouldn't have chosen something that sounded so farfetched. But why did she think they were lying? Or maybe it wasn't that they were lying, maybe it was just that they weren't telling her the whole truth.

Wally was right. She needed to stop analyzing every word Barry said. She had to stop looking for something wrong with him because eventually she would find it and then what? No one was perfect. She had her faults. She knew he wasn't questioning every word she said. That just wasn't his personality. Why couldn't she just accept that something good had happened in her life? Just because it seemed too good to be true, didn't mean it wasn't true. Good things could happen…even to her. Damn. She was starting to sound like Wally now.

"You're sure he'll be okay?" Iris asked once again as she and Barry climbed into his car. It seemed wrong to leave Hal at the bar by himself. While he had encouraged them to go, assured them that he would be fine, it felt as if they were abandoning him.

"Trust me, he'll be fine. He probably already has a line of women waiting for his attention. He won't be spending the night alone unless he decides he wants to be alone."

Barry's comment was right on target, but there had been something in his voice. Jealousy? Sarcasm? Bitterness? Whatever it was, it was completely un-Barry-like. "He is a flirt," Iris said cautiously, curious on what Barry would do or say.

"He's a womanizer," Barry muttered.

This wasn't the Barry she had come to know. She looked at him closely. The key was in the ignition, yet the car wasn't started. His hands rested on the steering wheel. All evening long she had sensed an edge to Barry that she had never sensed previously. The tension had ebbed and flowed during the night, but it had all been directed toward Hal. Barry had been jealous, worried…something. It was the only explanation for his need to demonstrate that Iris was his date. Still, neither she nor Hal had done anything to encourage that jealousy. If Barry hadn't wanted her to meet him, then why had he suggested it? Yet another interesting facet of an already interesting friendship. "Barry?" she asked softly.

He sighed and then met her gaze. "Sorry. There are just times when he…I…"

When words failed him, Iris stepped in. She had a good inkling as to what the issue might be. "If you're trying to warn me, you have nothing to worry about. I'll admit he's charming, that he's good-looking, but his charms and looks have no effect on me. Even if I weren't dating you, I wouldn't give him the time of day. I've dated too many men just like him, at least on the surface," she added because Hal deserved the qualifier. She had seen a few glimpses of what she believed was the real Hal, and the real man was nothing like her counterparts. Barry raised an eyebrow. "I don't think he'd do anything that would hurt you, at not consciously. He respects you."

He managed a small smile. "I know. I know you're right. He does have scruples, as hard as that it is to believe at times. It's just…there's Hal and then there's me and I know there's no comparison."

She touched his hand and smiled at him. "You're right. There's not."

* * *

><p>The key turning in the lock broke her reverie. She had expected to spend the rest of the night alone. Wally had said he was going out and would probably be gone the entire night. It was his not-so-subtle way of hinting Barry could spend the night if she so desired. And she did. That had been her plan. It just hadn't worked out that way.<p>

It had been strange to assume that Barry would want to spend the night, or at least stay a bit longer, with his friend in town. In truth, it was a horrible assumption on her part. Yet, after she had met Hal, she knew Hal wouldn't mind. Most likely, Hal would spend the night in the company of a woman. He wouldn't be alone. Even Barry had hinted at that possibility.

It was also strange that she wanted him to stay. Despite her yet unanswered questions about his familiarity, her wonderings about his truthfulness, she still found herself wanting their relationship to move the next level. Either she was that desperate for sex or her subconscious had decided her paranoia was for naught. She suspected it was a little bit of both.

In the end, though, it hadn't been meant to be. She may have been ready, but Barry wasn't. While the kisses had deepened and become a bit more demanding, while the hands had started to explore, while the clothes seemed to become unwanted barriers, Barry stopped before the hormones went too far. By his fast breathing and the flush of his skin, she knew at least a part of him wanted to continue. Yet, he didn't. Perhaps it was his inexperience. While he had never stated anything outright, she wouldn't be too surprised if his experience was extremely limited or even missing. It wasn't like she could really talk too much. Her own experiences were few and far between.

Hal might also have been a reason why Barry had stopped. Barry's feelings regarding Hal's womanizing were very apparent. Barry didn't approve. In her heart she knew Barry would avoid doing anything that could be misconstrued as something Hal would do. Iris doubted Hal had ever waited a week to take a woman to bed, yet she didn't want to argue that point with Barry. Instead, she had hid her disappointment, kissed him goodnight, and settled for a hot bath.

While the bath had relaxed her, she still wasn't tired. Going to bed would just mean staring at the ceiling. Instead, she had turned on her computer, logged into her work account, and searched the archives about the supposed story of a gorilla rampaging through Central City. It had been front page news. The Flash and Green Lantern had stopped the gorilla, however, they hadn't stopped him quickly enough. Ten people had been killed, numerous others had been injured. Property damage had been in the millions. The first article and the few follow-up stories remained vague on the details of what had happened to the gorilla after it was captured or what had caused the gorilla to go crazy in the first place. None of the stories mentioned a Barry Allen or Hal Jordan by name. Then again, given the number of deaths and injuries, the only identified names had been the mayor, police spokesperson, and the dead.

She hadn't expected that Barry and Hal had lied about how they had met. Her heart had told her it was the truth, just not the whole story. Hal had only said he had been in Central City because of work. There were Air Force bases in both Missouri and Kansas. There was also an Air National Guard unit stationed out of the Central City airport. It could be reasonable to expect work had brought him to Central City. Still, the odds of their paths crossing, the odds of them becoming friends, remained astronomical in her eyes. She needed to let it go, but found she couldn't. Instead her mind looked at it from every possible angle and then a few more.

So, when the key turned in the lock and the door opened, she felt a small sense of relief that Wally was back. She could share her thoughts with him. He'd be able to help her put everything into perspective. "Hey, there," she greeted softly.

Wally smiled and locked the door. He tossed his keys on the table. "Hey. Barry here?"

"No. Unfortunately." She managed a small smile.

He sat down next to her on the sofa. "Things didn't go quite as planned?"

"Obviously not." She was thankful that Wally ignored her snarky answer. "Why are you back? Thought you'd be out all night?"

Wally shrugged. "Party was a bit boring. Thought I'd just come back home." Iris interpreted his answer to mean the party was getting out of hand and Wally had decided to leave. Wally and alcohol had been one combination about which Iris had never had to worry. Wally always stopped after two beers. To her knowledge, he had never tried hard liquor. Her brother's drunken rants had made their mark on Wally. Wally was determined to be nothing like his father. "So, how was Hal?"

Iris suspected Wally was switching the topic to keep her from asking any more questions. Tonight at least, she'd give him a break. "Cocky, arrogant, full of himself. Basically nothing like Barry, but he seems nice." She felt Wally's questioning look. "Hal's…he's like a lot of the guys I dated before."

"Really? Wow. Guess I never would have pictured Barry being friends with a vain, egotistical jerk."

Hearing Wally's comments, she realized maybe she should have kept some of her thoughts about her previous dates to herself. "Neither can I, but Hal's not like that. I just meant he's very good-looking, suave, charming. To his credit, the vain part never surfaced. However, he is a fighter jet pilot, so I'm sure there's plenty of ego somewhere."

"He's a fighter pilot? How'd he and Barry ever meet?"

"Good question. Supposedly they met five years ago when a gorilla attacked Central City."

"A gorilla. Like Kong?"

"Not exactly."

Wally paused and looked at her closely. "You checked out their story, didn't you." She shrugged. "Iris…"

She sighed, hearing the disappointment in his voice. "Look, you just said yourself how odd it is for Barry to be friends with a fighter pilot."

"I know, but-"

"And these two…it's like high school jock meets science geek."

"Hey! Should I be insulted?"

Iris smiled. In high school, Wally had worn both hats with pride. He had managed to walk a line few seemed to do. He was a high school jock. By his junior year, he had been a starting guard on the varsity basketball team. He had also participated in track. Wally had left no doubt that he was a high school athlete. However, he was also a scholar. He had consistently made the honor roll. He had excelled in science classes. His circles of friends had reflected the two different worlds in which he was a part.

The dichotomy had continued in college. Iris suspected it was part of the reason he double majored in secondary education and physics. As in high school, he had friends in two distinct worlds. He didn't hide them from each other, but he also didn't force them to interact, something she doubted they would have been able to do. Tonight's party had been with the non-science circle.

"No, but Hal and Barry…they didn't go to school together. They didn't grow up together. There's more to this story."

He shook his head. "Iris, have you ever thought that maybe your suspicions are just a cover for the fact that you're scared? Instead of obsessing about everything Barry says or does, maybe you should just roll with it. He's a great guy." Iris remained silent. She also refused to meet his gaze. Wally sighed. "So, this gorilla? What happened?"

"It was stopped by the Flash and Green Lantern. Several people were killed, numerous others injured. Nothing about what happened to the gorilla or what made it go crazy."

"Maybe he went crazy trying to figure out what a police scientist was hiding about himself," Wally teased. "Better be careful, Iris, or the Flash and Green Lantern may have to stop a crazed journalist from destroying the city."

"Ha, ha."

He kissed the top of her head. "As I've said before, let it go and just enjoy the moment. He's a great guy. You deserve to be happy. Don't ruin it."

She watched him go. He was right. She knew he was right. Still, her natural instinct and her reporter's instinct were screaming that there was more to this than what met the eye. Until she reassured her instincts, she knew she wouldn't be able to completely enjoy her relationship with Barry. It was just her personality. Perhaps, as much as she didn't really want to, she'd just have to go about answering her questions once and for all.

* * *

><p>"So?"<p>

Hal grinned as Barry appeared at the Watchtower. He noted Barry was only five minutes late, almost a record for his friend. "What?" he asked innocently.

"Come on, Hal, what did you think? She's…well, she's amazing, isn't she?"

Iris West was definitely not the woman he had expected to meet. Nor had he expected her to call him out on that fact. Okay, yes, he somewhat deserved the verbal lashing she had given him, or had wanted to give him. She had surprised him when she had stopped herself. "Yes, she's amazing," he agreed. Barry was going to have his work cut out for him keeping up with her, Flash or no Flash.

"I keep thinking this must be some sort of dream because women like her aren't even supposed to notice guys like me."

Hal ignored Barry's insecurities. It was something Barry would have deal with on his own. "I didn't expect to see you tonight."

"What? Why? I'm on duty."

"Well, yeah, but I figured you'd occupied."

"Occupied? Why?"

"Because of a beautiful woman named Iris." Barry frowned, the confusion plainly evident on his face. Hal sighed. "You've been seeing her what, a week?"

"Yeah."

"And have you…you know."

"Know what?"

Barry wasn't going to make this easy. "Slept with her."

"What? No, of course not. We've only known each other a week. I'm not like you. I…no. Why would you think that?"

Where to even begin? Hal had watched Iris interacting with Barry. All the signs had been there. Yet, not surprisingly, Barry had missed every single one of them. Iris was going to have to learn to be a bit more explicit when it came to Barry. "Bar, did you notice how she touched your hand? Your arm?"

Barry frowned slightly. "Well, yeah, I guess, but it didn't mean anything."

"Yes, it did. Trust me on this one." Iris may not have been as obvious about it as some of the women Hal had dated, but the signals she had been sending were clear. She was ready to move to the next step.

Barry grew silent. "Oh, well, I guess that explains why she looked a little frustrated when I left." Hal fought the temptation to roll his eyes. This conversation was frustrating him. He could only imagine what Iris must have felt. "I mean, she wasn't angry or anything, but she looked a little sad, a little disappointed."

"Please tell me that you and I don't need to have a talk about the birds and the bees."

Barry flushed. "No."

Hal raised an eyebrow. "You have slept with a woman before, right?"

The heat remained on Barry's face. "Yes, not that it's any of your business."

Hal held back the question of with whom. Barry had never mentioned any previous relationships, not that the topic of conversation had ever arisen. He hadn't dated anyone for more than one or two dates since Hal had known him. Instinct was telling him that Barry's experience probably revolved around one or two sexual experiences. "Then what's the problem?"

Barry nervously rubbed at an unseen speck on the sleeve of his costume. "Because that was before I got these powers."

"And?" He really didn't see the significance of that fact.

"Well, what if I…what if…I mean…what if…"

"Barry, just say it already."

"What if my powers…you know…"

Hal didn't know, nor did he really want to think about it. Besides, it would be a twisted sort of fun to make Barry actually say whatever was on his mind. "What? What about your powers? You're fast. You're a speedster. Are you saying bing, bang, boom and it's over in less than a second?"

"Um, well, no, even though I suppose that could happen if I kicked into speed mode."

He really didn't want to think about what that meant. Obviously it wouldn't be a thrill for Iris or whoever the woman might be. "And could that happen?"

"Maybe."

Hal felt the start of a headache. He absently rubbed his temples and prayed for patience. "Barry, I'm really not seeing what the problem is."

"I don't want to hurt her."

Hal held back a smile. By the look on Barry's face, his friend was serious. He needed to try to remain serious as well, even though Barry was making it damn hard. "Bar, I'm pretty certain you won't hurt her. Nothing personal, but I doubt you're that big."

"That's not what I meant," Barry replied quickly and harshly, his face red. Hal had to grace to apologize. He reminded himself that this was Barry. Barry's innocence was one of the reasons he liked the other man. Barry balanced out the crudeness he got from hanging out with other pilots and Guy Gardner. "I just…" Barry pulled back his cowl and ran his hand through his short blond hair. "I don't want to hurt her because I don't trust my powers. I mean, what if I lose control and start vibrating and hurt her?"

Hal bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing, even as another part of him wondered about the true extent of Barry's powers, and another part thought about the potential thrills of being able to vibrate… That vibration skill could be very useful during sex. "I doubt that would happen."

"But it could."

"Barry, you're one of the most self-controlled people I know. You don't lose control. Are you saying that you're never going to have sex? Doesn't that seem a little harsh?"

"I…" Barry again ran his hand through his hair. "There are aspects of these powers I never thought about until now. I can't risk hurting her."

"Well, you could always see if Diana is willing to participate in an experiment. You wouldn't hurt her." He said it jokingly, but a look of abject horror covered Barry's face. "Would you lighten up just a little bit? This conversation is rather odd. Even you have to admit that."

That comment caused Barry to smile. "Sorry. I just…you have your choice of women. You know exactly what to say, what to do. I'm just…I'm the complete opposite. I get flustered. I… Iris is the first woman I've ever felt truly comfortable around. I know you think it's stupid, but I really believe there's a chance I could hurt her and I won't take that risk."

He heard the sincerity in Barry's voice. "Have you at least fooled around?" Barry nodded. "And did you lose control?" Barry shook his head. "Well, just keep fooling around. Eventually the fooling around will just naturally lead to sex, but you should have a better understanding of what you'll be doing…reacting…you know… And if you focus on Iris, well, you can keep her satisfied while you figure out what's what with yourself." Hal really couldn't believe he was giving sex advice. His own face felt as if it were on fire.

Barry stared at one of the monitors. "I…thanks."

"Bar, she's a great woman. I think if you're honest with her, that you don't want to rush things, she'll understand."

"You're probably right, but that's the problem." Barry's blue eyes met his gaze. "I can't be completely honest with her."

Hal remained silent. What could he say?


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: These characters aren't mine.

A/N: This story is AU. See Chapter 1 for more details. The facts about Barry are based on the TPB "The Life Story of the Flash."

* * *

><p>"He is who he says he is," Iris announced, putting her purse and a file folder on the kitchen table, careful to avoid Wally's stacks of papers. It had been a long day, ending with a long "discussion" with her editor on how she needed to land an in-depth interview with the Flash. Arguing that the Flash set the agenda and chose with whom he interviewed did no good. Arguing no one had managed to interview the Flash longer than one minute had been pointless. Her editor wanted to increase circulation numbers and he saw an in-depth interview with the Flash, the quiet star of Central City, as the key means of achieving the increase. Since the Flash had already graced Iris with one interview, it was her responsibility to land said interview. Worse, the implications had been clear. Land the interview or else. What the else exactly meant she was unsure. She doubted she would be fired, but she could easily be reassigned.<p>

Then to make an already day worse, she had received the background report she had requested on Barry Allen. The sight of the report had lifted her spirits. She had hoped the report would answer her questions and allow her doubts to finally be quieted. Instead, she was left feeling just as muddled after reading the report as she had felt before. While the report had verified everything Barry had told her – which should have reassured her, it did nothing to explain the facts that still didn't seem right.

"Who is?" Wally asked, looking up from his laptop.

"Barry." She rummaged in the refrigerator and selected a diet soda.

A frown quickly formed on Wally's face. His shoulders slumped. "Please tell me you didn't have him investigated."

Iris shrugged.

"Iris, you can't do that."

"Why not? I'm an investigative reporter. I investigate." She took a sip of the soda. It didn't have the level of caffeine she craved, but it would do for now.

"Yeah, news," Wally pointed out, "not some guy you're dating."

"Sue me." Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Wally sigh. His disappointment in her actions was clear. Truth be told, she wasn't too thrilled with her actions either. Just because she had the means and ability, didn't mean she needed to follow through. Yet, her conscience continued to plague her. There was something about Barry Allen that was driving her crazy. Well, maybe two things. She couldn't deny she found him attractive, found him interesting. For the first time in her life, she had found someone who could actually keep up with her, someone with whom she could relate. Those feelings had left her wanting more. She was impatiently waiting to sleep with him. She knew her womanly charms and wiles were affecting him, but so far Barry always stopped. Each time the stopping occurred a bit later than the previous time, so it truly was only a matter of _when_ they actually slept together. It seemed ironic that while she had all these doubts about him, she was anxious to sleep with him. She knew sex wouldn't answer any of her questions. Maybe a part of her wanted to believe that it would put her questions to rest.

Who was she kidding? She knew herself. Sex may be the ultimate "I trust you," but she knew even after sleeping with him, her doubts would remain. No matter how much she tried to ignore it, a small voice insisted that there was more to Barry Allen than he had told her. It didn't help that she still hadn't figured out why found him familiar. It didn't help that she questioned his friendship with Hal Jordan. Time passing wasn't making that unease go away. Her life – or rather her relationship with Barry – was one big contradiction. She trusted him enough to want to sleep with him, but not enough to set her doubts aside.

"Okay, so I crossed a line," she admitted. Wally quirked an eyebrow. "Okay, maybe a really big line"

"With flashing red lights and police tape saying 'do not cross,'" Wally noted dryly.

Iris pretended she hadn't heard him. "But there's something there. I swear there is. Asking Barry is pointless. I've tried."

Wally paused. "So, what did you find out?"

"Everything he told me is true."

"Now there's a surprise."

She ignored the sarcasm. "He was born in Fallville, Iowa. His parents are deceased. No brothers or sisters. He graduated from Sun City University. He's been working for the Central City Police Department since he graduated. Never been married. No criminal history which isn't surprising since he works for the police department." She paused. "I did learn that several companies aggressively recruited him during his senior year in college. He turned down offers from Wayne Enterprises and LexCorp to work at the police department."

The last comment got Wally's attention. He let out a low whistle. "I knew he was smart, but to actually be recruited by them…" Wally shook his head. "Okay, so obviously he's not interested in money because he'd be making a lot more working somewhere else. And that should be a good thing, right?" She nodded in agreement. Barry would most likely have a six figure income if he used his science degree in private industry, thousands more than he made as a public servant. The fact he wasn't interested in only seeing how much money he could make, but instead focused on helping society, left a strong impression. Iris realized if Wally decided he still wanted to be a high school science teacher once he completed his graduate degree, her nephew would be following the same path.

"So, why can't you just let this be? You like him. He likes you. Let that be the end of the story."

"I don't know."

"Iris, if you keep pushing, and if he finds out, you may lose him. How would you like it if he investigated you? I can see how happy you are with him. Don't blow this."

Everything Wally said was true. She needed to drop this or she would eventually ruin her relationship with Barry. If Barry had investigated her, she would dump him without a second thought. It would be a sign that he didn't trust her. That was the problem. She did trust him. The only person in her life she trusted more was Wally. So why couldn't she let this go? Why couldn't it be enough?

With a sigh, she realized she might as well admit everything. "I also had Hal investigated."

"Iris…"

"I know, I know, but…well, in for a penny, in for a pound, right?"

Wally shook his head. "So, what did you learn?"

"Nothing new. Born and still lives in Coast City. Parents are deceased. He was the middle child of three boys. His older brother is also deceased. His younger brother lives in Coast City, too. Captain in the Air Force. Never been married. No criminal history, even though the report noted a few disciplinary actions from the Air Force."

"Well, since he wasn't discharged, it's not a bit deal, right?"

"I know." She absently turned the soda can in her hands. "I still don't understand how those two met…or even how they're friends. They are as different as night from day. There's no logical explanation for how their paths would have ever crossed."

"You're nitpicking."

"I know. I guess was I hoping for the report to shed a little light on them, but I'm still as clueless as I was before."

"Maybe you just need to admit that you finally met someone who might be the one."

"Wally, I've only known Barry for a few weeks."

"So? I've seen you two together. You're a good match. When you first told me you were going out with him, I never figured it would last. I mean, a scientist? Nothing personal, but I never pictured you dating someone like him. His geek factor should have sent you running the other way. Guess hanging around with me and grandpa upped your geek tolerance." Iris smiled warmly at his comment. "But you didn't run, and he's passed every test you've thrown at him, even the ones he doesn't know about. He's a good guy. I doubt you're going to find any better."

In her heart, she knew Wally was right. Almost four weeks. At times it seemed as if she had known Barry for years. There were already times they could complete each other's sentences. There was no doubt that they were in tune with each other. The relationship was moving so fast. Even with having known each other for less than a month, their conversations had started to speculate on what the future could be, a future in which they were together. "Maybe this just scares me," she admitted. "It's happening so fast and…" She shrugged. Words failed her, definitely a bad sign for someone whose career revolved around words.

Wally stood up, rested his hands on her shoulders, and kissed the top of her head. "You'll figure it out. But I have to admit, he would be a cool uncle."

"Really?"

"Well, he'd be much better than some of those other guys you dated. This guy cares about you, not himself. That in itself is huge. Apart from your obsession over how you think you've met him before, which you haven't been able to prove, his biggest weakness is his habit of running late. The fact you haven't kicked him to the door for his lateness seems to be a sign that you really like this guy."

Barry's tardiness, which seemed to have no rhyme or reason, irritated her less and less. She had learned to plan accordingly. Besides, it made sense in its own way. It was easy for Barry to lose himself in a project. He loved what he did. Time simply got away from him. "You're right. I'm probably worrying over nothing."

* * *

><p>The door to the conference room swished shut. The tension in the room dropped. Hal took a deep breath. He hadn't realized he'd been holding it. He glanced at Barry. Barry looked shell-shocked. Bruce had that effect, even though Hal suspected Barry's angst was only partly due to Bruce's attitude. The rest was probably due to the news itself.<p>

They had been summoned to the Watchtower by Bruce. Receiving a summons from Batman was never a good thing. That had been the first warning sign of imminent danger. When they had arrived, Bruce had been in full Batman mode. His paranoia and need for control had seemed to be at even higher than normal levels. That had been the second warning sign. If only he and Barry had known what to be worried about they could have prepared. But nothing out of the ordinary had happened or was happening in either of their lives. The fact they had been summoned together meant that whatever it was, it was in some way connected to both of them.

Then Bruce had shared the information. Bruce, in his infinite paranoia, was constantly watching for any signs that secret identities might be broken. Lives were on the line if an identity fell and every known precaution that could be taken was taken. Algorithms monitored the information highways on a continual basis. An anomaly had been noted. Further investigation had revealed a potential problem. Background checks had been completed for both Barry Allen and Hal Jordan. Taken individually, it would not have been a cause for concern. However, both checks had been initiated by the same firm at the same time. Further investigation had revealed that the information had been delivered to a newspaper reporter, specifically a reporter named Iris West.

True to form, Bruce hadn't stopped there. Bruce had investigated Iris to try to understand why this unknown woman was focusing on the lives of two heroes. He had looked for any sort of connection between her and Barry and Hal. Not surprisingly, connections had been made. The proverbial shit had hit the proverbial fan. Bruce had demanded to know why this woman was conducting background checks on both of them. He had been decidedly unsatisfied with their response. Neither of them had a good answer. How many women conducted background checks of the men they were dating? Or their boyfriend's friends? With his frustration about Barry and Hal's lack of information obvious, Bruce had stormed out of the conference room, no doubt to do more investigating of his own.

"What am I going to do?" Barry asked softly.

Hal shook his head, his finger at his lips. While he didn't want to think he was as paranoid as Bruce, there was always the chance that Bruce would listen to whatever conversation he and Barry were about to have just in case they might reveal a tidbit of information. He wasn't about to give Bruce the satisfaction. Five minutes later, they had teleported to Barry's home. When Barry made as if he were about to speak, Hal quickly put his finger to his lips again. "Ring. Scan for tracking devices and listening devices." Barry rolled his eyes.

"Negative."

"Now we can talk," Hal said, willing away the costume.

Barry also changed to civilian clothes, the Flash costume disappearing into his ring. "You're as paranoid as Bruce."

"Just being cautious."

"Which is exactly what Bruce would say," Barry pointed out. Barry ran his hand through his hair. "What am I going to do?"

"Nothing."

"But Bruce-"

"Is a paranoid freak," finished Hal. "Let him dig. There's nothing to find. Neither of us has done anything wrong. All her looking will not reveal any sort of connections between Barry Allen and the Flash or Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern. Our identities are safe. The bigger question is why is she conducting these background checks on us? Any ideas?"

"No." Barry ran his hand through his hair again. "Wally's said that Iris hates having unanswered questions. Something must have grabbed her attention."

"Then why not ask you?"

Barry sighed. "She probably did and didn't like whatever answer I gave her."

Hal raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that a little extreme? She's starting to sound like Bruce."

"She's not that bad. She's just inquisitive."

That response seemed to reflect the woman Hal had met. "Well, if she didn't like an answer, why not ask you for more of an explanation?"

"She probably did."

Hal sighed. This conversation felt as if it were about to go round in circles. He pinched the bridge of his nose and prayed for patience. "Okay, of the various topics you two have discussed recently, what's seemed to have had her greatest attention?"

After a few seconds, Barry met his gaze. "Our friendship."

"What?" Maybe his initial impression of Iris had been off. He had thought she was a great woman. Attractive, smart. Not someone he would automatically picture with Barry, but seeing them together, watching them interact, they were definitely a well-matched pair. As much as the term "made for each other" gave him chills, even he had to admit that Barry and Iris did seem to fit the phrase perfectly. Yet this action seemed a bit extreme. Why would she be obsessing about his and Barry's friendship?

"She finds it odd that we're friends. She's noted we don't seem to have much in common. We didn't grow up together or go to school together. Our lives should never have intersected. And I have to agree with her. Without knowing about the Flash and Green Lantern parts of our lives, it doesn't make much sense."

Okay, Iris had a point. It did look odd, but so what? Hal suspected there were a lot of friendships that on the surface made no logical sense. What did it matter? Why did it matter? Why should she care? Something was missing. "But what's the big deal? Who cares?"

"I don't know."

"Barry, she conducted background checks. Isn't that a little over the top?"

"She's a reporter."

"And that justifies it?"

"No, but what do you want me to do? It's not like I can come out and ask her why she had us investigated. That would only make her wonder how I knew which would cause another long list of questions that can't be answered." Barry stared at the Flash ring on his finger. "It would all make sense if I could tell her."

When it came to secret identities, Hal had guessed either Barry or Clark would crack first. They were both too good for their own good. In his view, and probably also in Bruce's, Barry and Clark were honest to a fault. Neither one could embellish or stretch the truth without acting like they were embellishing or stretching the truth. No lie detector test would ever be needed for the two of them. Between them, they seemed to cover ever tell there was when it came to lying. The fact they had managed to go as long as they had was a miracle by itself. So far, the risks had outweighed any benefits and both Barry and Clark had managed to toe the line. Now it appeared as if Barry would be the first to crack. "You can't."

"I know." Barry sighed. "I know the risks. I know it's more than just my identity at stake. I know that your identity is also at stake, but I just…I hate the constant lies. I know we need to, but… Is this why none of us are married? Why serious relationships with someone not part of our club are unheard of? Did signing on as a hero mean we have to live our lives alone? If that's true, I wish I had read the fine print first."

Hal wished he knew what he could say or do. The secret identity and its attendant lies had increasingly bothered Barry over the past weeks. It seemed wrong that Barry could be so happy and yet so depressed at the same time. It seemed even more wrong that the reason for both moods was the same person – Iris West.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: These characters aren't mine.

A/N: This story is AU. See Chapter 1 for more details.

* * *

><p>From the start of their time living together, the kitchen table had been the work area. During those early years, both he and Iris had completed their homework at the table, he focusing on high school, Iris working on college. Once Iris had graduated and moved into the work force, she had continued to pay bills and do whatever work she brought home at the table. Typically, they had kept enough space clean for two table settings. Otherwise, it wasn't uncommon to find the table littered with two laptops, file folders, books and bills.<p>

Today was no exception. Wally had returned from his first day at STAR Labs to find Iris seated at the table. However, instead of the usual stack of papers and books, the table was completely covered with paper. Wally smiled to himself. Only a few days earlier she had complained that he had seemingly overtaken the entire table. He had to admit that his stuff had gotten a little out of control. He had been working on the literature review for his thesis and he had lost track of all the paper and books. Now, it seemed as if the tables had turned. "Big story?"

Iris gave him a weary smile. "I wish."

Inwardly he frowned. Her reaction was off. Usually Iris shared whatever project had captured her attention. Instead, she looked tired and a bit stressed. If it wasn't work, then what? His radar was immediately searching for some reason. "What-"

"So, how was your big day?"

Wally recognized the question for what it was. A deflection. Yet even more indication that something was going on with his aunt. He searched his mind for possible explanations. To the best of his knowledge, things were going well with her job and Barry. His own relationship with Iris was as smooth as ever. So, what was bothering her?

For the time-being, he decided to appease her. As soon as he was done telling her about his first day, which hopefully would make her smile, he'd question her again. Then again, he was assuming he could put some humor into what had happened.

He reached into his pocket and withdrew his photo ID card. "I'm official," he announced, dangling it in front of her.

Iris grinned and grabbed the ID. "Not quite as bad as your driver license photo."

"Ha, ha." It was the truth, though. Somehow the DMV had captured his image so he looked as if he were a deranged drug addict coming off a high.

"So, is STAR Labs as great as they want everyone to believe they are?"

Wally grabbed a can of soda from the refrigerator. "I don't know about that, but the place is rather impressive. Everything is state-of-the-art, not that I was expecting anything less. We were given a three-hour orientation which was three hours of indoctrination. We are STAR Labs and we are great. Blah, blah, blah."

"I see my cynicism has rubbed off on you."

"If they're trying so hard to convince me they're great, they must be hiding something, right?" Iris only shook her head, a small smile playing at her lips. He had lost track of how many times over the years she had said those same words to him, usually in conjunction to some story she was investigating. "Overall, they seem pretty nice."

"How about your supervisor?"

"Okay, let me restate that. Everyone seems pretty nice except him."

"That bad?"

"Dr. Malcolm Thawne. He's cold, impersonal, thinks the world is beneath him. Major superiority complex. He refuses to call me Wally. He insists on Wallace." Wally made a face. Iris laughed. Iris knew his thoughts on his name. What sane parents named their kid Wallace Rudolph? Add red hair to that equation and it had been many long days in elementary school. Still, teasing at school had always been much better than what he had had to face at home. It kept everything in perspective. He pushed thoughts of the past from his mind and returned to the present. "And I am to call him Dr. Thawne. He is my superior, not my friend. I am to treat him accordingly."

"Lovely."

"He made me want to sic Grandpa on him. I figure Grandpa would drive him crazy in less than a minute, but a Nobel prize winning scientist must be superior to non-Nobel prize scientist, right?"

"Just behave. At some point you may need this man for a recommendation."

"Yeah, I know." He paused briefly. He needed to share the worst part of the day with her. He wanted her opinion on it all, but he also didn't want to worry her and he didn't want her to go into fighter mode. In the end, her opinion won out. Besides, she might have a few connections that could help figure out what had happened. "The best part of the day was spending an hour with human resources and the chief of security."

The amusement disappeared from Iris' face. "Why?"

"Seems the government perceives me as a potential threat."

"What? That's ridiculous."

"Yeah, that was my thought as well. However, my name is on a list, a list of names of people who are viewed as potentially dangerous to the United States government."

"Are they sure it's you? Maybe it's mistaken identity."

That had been his first reaction as well. There was nothing in his background to mark him as a threat. He had never participated in any protests – anti-government or other. He didn't support anarchists, supremacists, terrorists, or any other radical groups. In the face of his doubt, STAR Labs had shown him the list. His name had seemed to jump off the page. "Social security number and date of birth match mine."

"Okay, so who's saying this? The FBI?"

Wally shrugged. "I don't know if the list is from one particular agency or a compilation of different databases. Given none of my other background checks suggested any potential problems, STAR said they contacted the FBI, CIA, ATF, IRS, TSA and even Interpol to see if they could learn why I listed. None of the agencies claim to know who I am or why my name would be on that list."

"A clerical error?"

"STAR said they are still investigating, but that's the general assumption since I have no criminal record, no warrants for my arrest, and all that good stuff. Anyway, because of all this, I'm on a special sort of probationary period. STAR Labs has a strict hiring policy. They don't hire anyone whom they view as a potential security threat. However, since they can't define why I'm a risk, they're willing to give me a chance. Personally, I think they want to stay in Grandpa's good graces and for that reason don't want to piss him off by refusing to hire his grandson."

"You're giving Dad more influence than he truly has. To me, if they still hired you, it's because of you, not because of Dad."

"Yeah, well, whatever, but if even one paperclip goes missing, I'll be suspect number one."

"Wally, I doubt that would be the case."

"Okay, two paperclips and a pen." Iris didn't smile. He fiddled with the soda can. The hour-long security discussion had marred an otherwise near perfect day. Or at least near perfect until he had met Dr. Thawne.

"At least they still hired you. And at least they're looking into the problem. Hopefully they'll be able to sort it all out."

"Yeah, I suppose."

"So, what is this Dr. Thawne researching?"

"Molecular biophysics."

Iris smiled. "In plain English?"

Wally returned the smile. "Understanding biology from the view of a physicist. Dr. Thawne is studying how the Flash can do what he does."

"And is the Flash participating?"

"No. Major sore spot with the professor." Definitely a road he knew never to travel again. Dr. Thawne had gone into a twenty minute diatribe on the topic.

"I can imagine. So, if the Flash isn't helping, does that mean the research is purely theoretical?"

"Yep."

"And are you going to be interested?"

When it came to theory versus applied science, Wally had always leaned toward applied. He understood the importance of theoretical work, but theories never seemed to exactly replicate what happened in the real world. There were too many variables to consider. "The topic interests me." He smiled self-consciously, knowing that was an understatement and knowing Iris knew that it was an understatement. "The Flash may not be an active participant, but maybe, if this works out…"

Iris smiled and patted his hand. "You might see him or meet him or maybe you'll bump into another hero for some other reason."

"There's that possibility, too." He shrugged. "At least I'm being open-minded and giving theoretical work one more try. Even though I suppose it's really not a fair test since working with Dr. Thawne will be a major con. He'll probably skew my viewpoint. He's already made it very clear to me that it was not his idea to have an assistant. Instead, STAR Labs decreed – his word, not mine – that he would have one."

"You have your work cut out for you, but I know you'll do fine. You always do."

As usual, Iris was his loudest cheerleader. While they had talked, Wally had let his eyes scan that various papers scattered across the table. The papers appeared to be bills and bank statements. "What's all this?"

Iris started gathering up the papers. "Nothing. I just decided to take a look at the budget."

Even though they rarely discussed finances, it wasn't a taboo topic. The budget was always tight. Between the two of them, they paid the bills, made sure there was food in the refrigerator. Ira helped out on a regular basis. He fondly contributed what he called their "mad" money, money they could spend on the more frivolous things in life. And at times, that mad money had gone toward the not so frivolous things as well. "Why? Did something happen?"

"No."

Her answer was a bit too quick. "Iris, what's going on?"

She sighed and met his gaze. "My editor wants a Flash interview. Actually, he wanted that interview yesterday, last week, last month, whatever. Arguing with him that the Flash sets the agenda, decides who gets the interview, is pointless. Can you believe that man actually had the nerve to say that maybe I needed to spice things up a bit to get the Flash's attention?" Wally bit back a smile, trying to imagine Iris' wardrobe going a little more risqué, trying to imagine the Flash's reaction. "Anyway, I argued. He didn't listen. The threat was a bit more implicit this time. Get an interview or else. I'm not sure what the 'or else' is. I don't think he'd fire me, but even a reassignment will probably mean a cut in pay." Her voice trailed off. "I decided to look at the finances just to see how bad things would be if my paycheck was reduced or disappeared. Maybe a few thousand had magically appeared in the bank account. No such luck."

"Grandpa-"

"Helps out too much as it is," Iris said quickly, her tone harsh. Her face quickly softened. "Sorry. I…we're fine. There's nothing to worry about."

Her actions belied her words. Wally stared at the table. Once again he was reminded of the crimp he put on her life. Even if it were just her, her reporter's salary would have been stretched thin. "The internship is paying more than I thought it would. We'll have some extra money that way. There must be a few things we can cut."

"Wally, we'll be fine. Worst case, I go to Dad." Wally suspected hell would freeze first. Iris was proud and independent. She hated asking for help of any kind. "But I don't think it will come to that."

"Because you finally plan to admit to Barry your true feelings, he'll reciprocate and it will be life happily ever after." He laughed at the expression on her face. "Okay, scratch that idea, even though I really think it's one you need to explore. Anyway, here's another thought. We cash out the bank account, invest in lottery tickets, and put everything into the hands of Fate. Last I heard, the jackpot was over $100 million."

"And here I thought you were smart."

"Being smart is overrated."

"Be that as it may, before I started pondering our financial future, I did come up with an idea."

"Really? What is it?" His amazement in his aunt grew as she shared her idea. It wasn't the Flash interview her editor had demanded, but it was a Flash-related story. More importantly, this was a story no one, not even a reporter connected to another hero, had written. What was the value of the Flash? He had been around for five years. How many lives had he saved? How had he impacted the lives of those people he had saved? What were they doing now? Iris didn't propose to interview everyone whose life had been impacted by the Flash. That would have been impossible. But she did intend to choose a random sample.

She also proposed to try to calculate the property savings. Yes, some of the hero's actions had resulted in property damage. That couldn't be denied. But how did those costs balance against his actions that stopped robberies, fires and other catastrophes?

In looking at the entire picture, did the presence of the Flash amount to something positive or negative? In his heart, Wally knew the answer had to be positive just from the lives saved. Yet he knew his aunt and knew Iris would tell both sides of the story, from those who were the Flash's biggest supporters to those who were his biggest detractors.

Maybe Iris would never win a Nobel prize, but a Pulitzer could very well be in her future. And if STAR Labs couldn't figure out why he was deemed a threat to the United States government, a little encouragement to Iris and he knew she'd ferret out the problem and probably write an exposé on the entire matter.

* * *

><p>His brown eyes stared in surprise at the name on the computer screen. It couldn't be. Seeing the answer on the screen hurt. Maybe because he had hoped he would be wrong no matter what his intuition said. Bruce was paranoid. Bruce was a control freak. Bruce was cold and impersonal. Yet even this…he didn't want to believe that Bruce would go this far, but the words on the screen said otherwise. A line had been crossed.<p>

Perhaps the truth hurt because a part of him wanted to continue to believe in that idealized version of the Justice League. Hell, he knew they were only human, or at least most of them were only human. Even those that weren't human had faults. On the whole, though, they strove to do good. They protected truth, justice and freedom. But the justice part was somewhat of a hoax. Each time they put on a costume, they operated outside the boundaries of the law. Each time they stopped a crime, technically they were crossing a line, no matter how smudged or gray that line might be.

But this line Bruce had crossed… He had went from protecting the lives of the innocent to impacting the lives of the innocent. Hal glanced at Barry who was restlessly pacing the length of the conference room. He could still hear the anger in Barry's voice as his friend had relayed what had happened to Iris' nephew. Barry was not one to rush to judgment. As the fastest man alive, his mind could see a problem from multiple viewpoints in a fraction of a second. It allowed Barry to be rational. That worried Hal even more because it meant that Barry had already studied the problem and arrived at the source of the problem – Bruce. It wasn't a rash decision. It was a logical one, one in which Hal had just discovered additional evidence that supported Bruce's involvement.

Hal supposed it was a good sign that Barry had taken the time to approach him rather than rush to Gotham and confront Bruce. Even though Barry was a meta, even though Barry had the moral high ground, Hal knew Bruce would have won. That was just Bruce. He was a cold, impersonal, paranoid control freak who was also a genius. Whether matching physical strength or mental skills, it seemed the Bruce always won in the end.

He took a deep breath. "Bar-" Barry was at his side before he finished speaking his friend's name. Hal nodded to the computer screen. "-it wasn't just Wally."

Barry stared at the screen, his body rigid. "That son-of-a-bitch," he muttered under his breath.

Hal grabbed Barry's arm to keep the man from running off. Never before had he heard Barry swear. It was an ominous sign of things to come. "We still don't know who did this."

Barry yanked his arm free. "Give me a break, you know damn well who did this. He did it to get back at her."

"Who did what to get back at whom?" They both turned to see J'onn standing in the doorway. "I apologize for interrupting, but both of your emotions are high. I was worried." Hal quickly brought J'onn up-to-speed on the situation and their assumptions of who the culprit was. As usual, it was impossible to read J'onn's facial expressions. "I see. May I?" He waved his hand toward the computer. Hal nodded and stepped back, watching as J'onn searched the computer databases. When he stopped, he held his hands at his sides and turned to face them. "If you would both wait here while I summon Batman."

Less than an hour later, the conference room door opened to reveal J'onn, Clark and Bruce. Bringing Clark into the situation was a dire sign. What did it mean that J'onn even thought that Clark's presence was needed? Was Clark meant to keep Bruce in line? Barry in line? Why did J'onn think that he and Hal wouldn't be enough to keep Barry and Bruce from fighting? The possibilities gave him a headache.

"This better be important," Bruce ground out. "I was in the middle of an important meeting."

Barry paused in his pacing and glared at Bruce. Hal held his breath. Whatever Barry said or did was about to set the tone of the meeting. "Who the hell do you think you are?" Hal inwardly groaned. So much for hoping Barry would be the rational one.

Bruce's gaze narrowed. "Excuse me?"

"What gives you the right to go messing with other people's lives?"

"I don't know-"

Barry rushed over and stopped directly in front of Bruce. His finger tapped against the Bat emblem on Bruce's chest. "Don't give me that. You know damn well what I'm talking about."

Bruce pushed Barry's hand away. "Don't. Touch. Me."

"Barry," Hal said softly, a note of warning in his voice. Barry needed to remain cool.

"What's going on?" Clark asked, looking at J'onn and Hal.

Hal looked at J'onn. J'onn paused. "The Flash and Green Lantern are concerned that Batman may have placed the names of two acquaintances on government watch lists as a means of revenge."

Hal forced himself to not roll his eyes. Using their code names was pointless. Everyone knew each other. Perhaps J'onn was trying to keep the discussion professional. Likewise, Hal noted the use of the word "may" in J'onn's description. Maybe J'onn hadn't completely rushed to judgment of Bruce. Then again, if he were willing to give Bruce the benefit of the doubt, why had he invited Clark to be part of this discussion?

Clark frowned. "That doesn't make any sense. Why would Batman seek revenge on two people?"

When Barry showed no signs of answering, Hal sighed. "Because _Batman_ is concerned that one of these persons is about to break my identity and Barry's."

"Why would he think that?"

Hal shrugged. "Ask him."

Attention focused on Bruce. "Because a reporter requested background checks of Barry Allen and Hal Jordan at the same time."

"But how would a reporter connect you two?" Clark asked, genuine confusion in his voice.

"Because the reporter is a woman named Iris West. The same woman the Flash, or rather Barry Allen, is currently dating."

The information surprised Clark. "Your girlfriend…she's investigating you? Why?"

Clark's confusion seemed to calm Barry somewhat. Maybe J'onn had invited Clark for Barry's sake. It seemed the least likely explanation, but they did share the same Midwestern naivety that drove him and others crazy at times. "I don't know," Barry replied, "but it doesn't matter. What he-"

"It does matter," countered Bruce. "If she connects Barry Allen to the Flash and Hal Jordan to the Green Lantern, what's to keep her from making other connections?"

"How could she?" Hal asked. "She's met me, but she hasn't met any other heroes in or out of costume." If Ollie had been present, he would have been smirking at the "out of costume" remark. Thankfully, Ollie wasn't present. Hal didn't think he would have had the emotional stamina to deal with Bruce, Barry and Ollie nitpicking each other. "Even if she makes the connection, how does learning who I am or who Barry is affect any of you? If anyone should be upset, it should be me, but I'm not. She's a reporter. She's inquisitive. Is what she did normal? Hell no. Over the top? Definitely. But from what Barry's told me about her, from what I've seen, she's cautious. Nowadays can you really blame her?"

"Then why hasn't she had any of her other dates investigated?" Bruce asked.

Bruce hadn't just… Hal shook his head in disbelief. He must have misheard, because if he hadn't, it implied that Bruce had continued to investigate Iris. Barry's reaction confirmed that there was nothing wrong with his hearing. "What gives you the right to mess with her life?" Barry demanded.

"Anything or anyone that presents a danger to what we do needs to be watched," stated Bruce matter-of-factly.

"And how is Iris a threat?"

"She's a reporter. Breaking the story of the men behind the Flash and Green Lantern would make her career. She'd be famous. She'd be rich."

"That's not Iris," Barry argued.

"How do you know?"

"Because I do! And no matter what you think about her, what right did you have to carry your paranoia to her nephew?"

"They are very close. Do you think if she learns who you and Hal are that she'll keep that information to herself? Even you can't be that naïve."

Clark frowned. "Back up. You identified two people, two people who have done absolutely nothing wrong, as government threats?" Bruce remained silent. "Bruce, you can't do that. We can't do that. That's a clear violation of our power. We're here to protect the people, not harass them."

"Grow up, Clark," Bruce snapped. "This is the real world, not some fairy tale. The good guys don't always win."

"I know that. We all know that, but this seems extreme. Barry's dating this woman. Hal's met her. Neither of them is concerned. I'm guessing there's nothing in her background or her nephew's background to indicate she might be a threat." Clark paused, looking pointedly at Bruce. "Well?"

"No."

"Then how can you justify these actions? You're impacting innocent lives."

"I'm ensuring we can continue to do what we do."

Silence descended. It was an argument no one would win. Hal knew no matter how hard they tried, Bruce would always have a counterpoint. It was just who Bruce was. Worse, a small part of him realized that Bruce was right. Still, he wasn't about to let Bruce win. "Look, there are others who know our identities. Family members, some friends, some enemies." His brother's family knew he was the Green Lantern. Carol Ferris, Tom Kalmaku, Jillian Pearlman, General Stone, Sinestro, Hector Hammond... Actually, now that he thought about it, more than just a handful knew who he was, but it didn't worry him. It didn't result in sleepless nights. Whether it should was another issue that he refused to think about.

"That's not the point."

"Then what is?" Hal asked. "Why can Alfred know who everyone is? Why is he different? Is it just because _you_ trust him? Who you trust can't be the standard for the rest of us. Are you going to stop us from sleeping with someone in the off-chance we might talk in our sleep? Or from drinking in case we get drunk and our tongues get loose?" Hal knew he failed to keep the sarcasm out of his voice.

"You don't trust us," Barry continued. "You want to protect the secret. I get that. We get that, but you can't run our lives. Yes, you caught me and Hal by surprise when you told us that Iris had had us investigated. It's something I never would have even thought to worry about. But I honestly wish you hadn't told me. I don't know what to do with that information now. Do I tell her I know what she did? Do I stay silent? I don't like what she did, but now I've basically done the same thing. It's my decision and Hal's on what to do. I don't like that he got dragged into this, but it happened. It's our problem, not yours."

"And when your problem becomes our problem?" countered Bruce.

"Iris is not a problem."

"Yet." Bruce turned and left, his cape swirling behind him.

Hal saw the anger that crossed Barry's face and quickly grabbed his friend's arm to prevent Barry from doing anything he would later regret. The move quickly proved to be for naught. The tension seemed to drain from Barry. Hal watched, feeling helpless, as Barry pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. The look on his face, the slump of his shoulders, showed defeat. "He can't do this. He can't control everybody and everything."

Clark placed a reassuring hand on Barry's shoulder. "I'll talk to him." Hal wondered what good that would actually do. Clark had about as much chance of talking sense into Bruce as the Joker. "How did you two learn about this?"

"Wally, Iris' nephew, started an internship at STAR Labs. STAR pulled him aside and explained the situation to him."

"When Barry told me, I checked to see if Iris was listed as well," Hal continued.

Clark nodded. "STAR Labs has a strict hiring policy. If they still hired her nephew, they must not be too concerned about it."

"They noted some inconsistencies with it, said they were checking into it some more."

"I'll remove their names from the lists," J'onn replied.

"And when Bruce adds them back?" Hal countered.

"He won't," Clark answered firmly. He said it using his Superman voice, the voice that left no room for doubt. Hal wished he had greater faith in the man of steel at the moment. Batman versus Superman…he'd always bet on Batman. Bruce fought dirty and he called Clark the "big blue boy scout" for a reason.

When J'onn and Clark had left the room, Hal studied Barry. Barry stood in front room's window, staring out at space. "You okay?"

Barry rubbed his face. The energy that seemed to roll off the man in waves was missing. For once, Barry actually looked tired. "When Iris was telling me what had happened, I was so…so angry. I knew, knew in my gut, that Bruce was behind it, and now…" Barry looked up, his gaze sad. "I still want to be angry, but I get it. I know why he did it, why he'll do it again, and I…" Barry shook his head.

"You're actually forgiving him for what he did?"

"Yes. No."

"Barry, he listed Wally and Iris as security threats. It's lucky we found out. What had happened if they had booked a flight and been detained by airport security?"

"I know. I know. But you know how important keeping the secret is to Bruce."

"But that's no reason to do what he did."

"Actually, it is."

Hal couldn't believe what he was hearing. "How can you say that?"

"I was so angry when Iris was telling me, so indignant, I didn't look at it from Bruce's point of view."

"What the hell difference does that make?" Barry's calm – or was it resigned? – manner was only firing up his temper.

"If people learn I'm the Flash, will it really matter? My parents are dead. I don't have any immediate family. My coworkers will be bothered a bit, but otherwise, it really doesn't impact anyone but me. It's the same for Clark. No family. His life as a reporter might come under a bit more scrutiny, but like me, he doesn't have any immediate family. If your identity is blown, your brother and his family may be bothered for a bit, but again, it would probably be a few days, maybe a week, of scrutiny and then life as normal. Think of what would happen if it became known that Bruce Wayne, billionaire, philanthropist, the man everyone thinks is an idiot, is actually Batman. Whatever media attention we may receive for being outted as either the Flash or Green Lantern would pale in comparison to what Bruce would experience. Worse, he has family. I don't worry so much about Alfred, but what about Bruce's four boys?"

"I'm sure Dick, Jason and probably even Tim could take care of themselves."

The fact Bruce was a father – to four sons no less – was mind boggling. It seemed unreal that social services would deem him suitable to be a father. Yet, they had done it three times. "True, but it wouldn't be that hard to connect them to their secret identities. Their lives would be turned upside down. And what about Damian? He's still a boy."

And then there was Damian. Three adopted sons and his biological son was a trained assassin. Yet even more proof that if there was a god, he had a twisted sense of humor. "He'd probably kill the reporters."

Barry ignored the comment. "And what about the thousands of people employed by Wayne Enterprises? His company's stock would probably bottom out, making the company ripe for a corporate takeover. Linking Bruce Wayne to Batman, as strange as it sounds, could have worldwide economic impacts simply due to Wayne Enterprises. And what about this?" Barry waved his hand toward the room. "It's his money that pays for the Watchtower, pays for damages and countless other things."

"So does this mean you think Iris is a threat?"

"No. Even if she somehow, someway, made the connection, I don't believe she'd do anything with it. It's just not her. I don't even know if she'd tell Wally…or even me."

Hal agreed. It didn't seem like the woman he had met or the woman Barry talked about. "What about Wally?"

"He'd tell Iris. Or at least I'm pretty sure he'd tell her, but that would be all." A small smile appeared. "After she told me about Wally being a threat, she also mentioned how her editor has given her an ultimatum – get an interview with the Flash or else."

Hal felt thankful for the change in subject matter. It brought a spark of life back into the Flash. "And will the Flash be giving her an interview?"

The smile remained. "He might."

Hal shook his head and smiled. Barry was beyond smitten. He was hopeless. "Bruce will be pissed." Barry shrugged. "And you don't care?" Hal found that very hard to believe. This was Barry. The man hated conflict.

"I…well…I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't care, but it's my life."

"That it is."

* * *

><p>AN: In the DCU, Malcolm Thawne is Barry Allen's twin brother, a man who eventually becomes Cobalt Blue and raises havoc for the Flashes. The Malcolm referenced in this story is not Barry's twin brother. He has no ties to the Allen family. The Malcolm in this story will be more like Eobard Thawne, aka Professor Zoom, in terms of personality. I'm using the name Malcolm simply because it's more common than Eobard. Later chapters will shed more light on Malcolm. As stated in the notes in Chapter 1, liberties are being taken.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: These characters aren't mine.

A/N: This story is AU. See Chapter 1 for more details.

* * *

><p>It happened before her mind had a chance to process everything. One second she was standing in the street, the Flash standing in front of her and asking her if she'd like to give him an interview. She'd barely said yes when a second later here they were – somewhere else entirely. She smoothed her hair down with her hand and looked around, willing her stomach to settle, for the nausea to disappear. It felt as if her stomach was still back in the street.<p>

Where had he taken her? They were on a rooftop in a city. Whether they were still in Central City or somewhere else, she had no clue. The skyline didn't give any clues. Neither did the horizon. The weather was the same, though. Clear, blue skies and a comfortable temperature. "Where are we?"

"Couple blocks away. Roof of the First National Bank building. I thought we'd do the interview in private."

She sent him a glare. Not her full-fledged glare, but enough to convey she was not happy with what had happened. "You could have warned me."

"I…yes, I should have. I'm sorry."

At least he appeared contrite. Her irritation slipped a notch. Whatever this interview was to be, it was obviously not going to be the typical after-the-Flash-saves-the-day interview. Why else would he have spirited her off? Why not stay in the street by the other reporters and police? Why did he want privacy? "Why me? Why now?"

He shrugged. "I figured it was about time I give a more in-depth interview. It's been five years. I'm sure people have questions, not that I'm saying I'll answer all of them, but I'll answer some of them. I chose you because you're a print journalist. I've read your stories. You're a good reporter. Besides, this seemed like something that should be in print, not television."

The reasoning was sound. Rather than feeling excited, though, she felt suspicious. Just over a week ago she had shared her dilemma with Barry. Since then she had started gathering background information on the Flash. Her editor was less than pleased with her proposal, but at the same time, he couldn't argue. The Flash set the interview opportunities, not the reporters. Besides, she had proposed an angle that had yet to be done for any hero. Once the article, or maybe series of articles, was published, perhaps then the Flash would deign her with an interview. "Did Barry put you up to this?"

The question seemed to confuse the Flash. She could tell he frowned underneath his cowl. "Barry? Barry who?"

"Barry Allen. He's a scientist with the police department."

The Flash appeared thoughtful. "Short blond hair? Usually running late?"

"That's him. Do you know him?"

"No. I mean I know who he is. Some of the detectives have pointed him out to me. He didn't talk to me. I made the decision." He smiled. "So, are you ready to begin?"

Iris relaxed. She didn't want the Flash to have been persuaded into giving her this interview. It appeared as if he hadn't. "Yes." Even without having done her usual preparations, the questions came easily. He was laidback and easy-going. He had a quick wit and sense of humor to him. It was a side of the Flash she – nor anyone else – had ever seen before. "How did you become the Flash?"

"Freak electrical accident."

Iris raised an eyebrow. "Care to be more specific?"

He looked at her closely. "Can we go off-the-record?"

She frowned, her suspicions immediately rising. "Why?"

"I really don't know what happened and I'd like to prevent others from trying it."

"You think someone might to replicate it?"

He shrugged. "Why risk it? I don't want someone to get hurt."

She studied him closely, and then sighed. "Okay, off-the-record." At least this was the first time he had made the off-the-record request. None of the other questions had made him pause.

"I was working in a lab. It was raining outside, a thunderstorm. Nothing severe, but it was putting on a great light show. One of the lightning bolts hit a cabinet of chemicals. I was standing in front of the cabinet at the time. How I avoided the lightning strike, I don't know. I can remember feeling the hairs on the back of my neck rise. Anyway, the cabinet exploded and showered me in chemicals. I should have been covered with second- and third-degree chemical burns. Maybe I should have even died. I don't know. Instead, I was just wet. I said a quick prayer that I was unhurt, cleaned up the mess, and decided to go home. Outside, I ran to catch a cab. I ran right past it." He shrugged. "I thought it was a fluke. I figured it would be a short-lived thing, that once the adrenaline left, things would go back to normal. Turns out it wasn't. Five years later, here I am."

"How long was it between you getting your chemical bath to becoming the Flash?"

He paused. "Not that long. A few weeks? I was a little worried when the speed wasn't disappearing. Then one day I saw a little boy run into the street, chasing a ball. He ran right in front of a car. There was no way the driver would have been able to stop in time. I ran and snatched the kid out of the way. It was then I realized I could use my speed to help others."

"Can I use that?"

He smiled. "You may say that it was a few weeks from the freak electrical accident to when I became the Flash," he clarified. "Everything else is off-the-record."

The questions continued. He was vague about many things, but got a bit more specific when he talked about the Justice League. "You and the Green Lantern seem to be close friends."

"We are."

"Even outside of the costume?"

"Yes."

"Can you tell me anything about him?"

"He's the Green Lantern. He has brown hair. His costume is black, green and white. He has a green power ring."

"Ha, ha." The Flash grinned. His blue eyes twinkled. For the briefest of moments, Iris felt a sense of déjà vu. She ignored it. Now wasn't the time to go introspective. "Can't blame me for trying," she noted lightly, hoping he didn't sense her sudden frustration. "How about any of the other heroes? Do you spend time with them like you do the Green Lantern?"

"We don't socialize much outside of the costumes. We each have our private lives."

That made a certain amount of sense, particularly since the heroes seemed to be from across the country. "Do you know who they are outside of the costumes?"

"Yes."

Iris suspected he wouldn't give her much more information about the other heroes, even off-the-record. For that reason, she switched topics. "Does your family know that you're the Flash?" He hesitated and looked down at his hands. Iris waited. As the seconds ticked by, she realized he wasn't going to answer. "We can go off-the-record."

He met her gaze. "I still wouldn't know what to say."

"It's a yes or no question."

"True, but it's also more complicated than that."

How could it be more complicated? Either his family knew or they didn't. Perhaps an indirect approach would work better. "Okay. Well, then are you married?"

"Off-the-record?"

She smiled. "Yes."

"No."

"Seeing someone?"

"Yes."

"Does she – or he – know you're the Flash?"

"No, _she_ doesn't."

"Don't you think she has the right to know?"

"It's complicated."

"Try me."

He sighed. For a moment, she thought he was going to stay silent again. Then he started to speak. "There's a part of me that believes she deserves the truth. Not telling her has turned out to be harder than I ever thought it would be. I want to have a completely honest relationship with her, but yet…here I am, leading two very different lives."

"Do you think she'd be angry to find out you're the Flash?"

"No. I don't think that's the case. It's…there's really no way to give her an option on whether she wants to know. It's all or nothing. It's not like I can take it back once I tell her. And the knowledge is a burden. She'll have to be careful to not let it slip that she knows. If the wrong person were to hear…she could put herself in danger." To her surprise, he turned the question to her. "What would you do if you were me? Or for that matter, if you were my girlfriend, would you want to know?"

Would she? She understood what he was saying, the inherent risks involved. "I'm probably not the best person to ask. I'm inquisitive by nature. I love knowledge. But I know what you're saying. It's not an easy decision. But if you love her, if you trust her, she should know the whole truth. A relationship needs to be built on a solid foundation, not built on lies."

"So, are you seeing someone?"

She smiled, mentally comparing Barry to the man in front of her. There was no comparison. She'd take Barry any day. "That's really none of your business, but, yes, I am."

"And are you completely honest with him?"

"Yes. If he asks about something, I'll tell him the truth."

"And if he doesn't ask?"

She shrugged. That was a definite gray area and not an area she was about to discuss with a superhero. It was a topic she and Wally had discussed more than once, with being Wally less than thrilled about her lack of forthrightness. "I'm not about to tell him every single thing about my life. Not all of it's relevant or important. But he knows about those things that are."

"He's a lucky man."

"And I'm a lucky woman to have met him, but enough about me. Back to you."

They talked for almost an hour. When the interview was over, at her request, he took her to Barry's house. He could have taken her anywhere, but Barry's house seemed the best choice. The office would have been a zoo. The news would have already spread that the Flash had taken her away. She didn't feel up to the questions and stares from her fellow coworkers. Returning to the apartment didn't appeal to her either. Wally wouldn't have been home yet. While that meant the apartment would have been quiet, the perfect environment in which to type up her notes and put her thoughts in order, it lacked something and that something was Barry. To her surprise, she found herself wanting to share the news of the interview with him first. He had listened to her worries about her editor's demand for a Flash story. He had offered his support. While Wally had done the same once she had told him, it felt as if Barry deserved to hear the good news first. She supposed she could have met him at the police station, but that would have raised too many questions. She could have called him, but she wanted to share the news in person. So, she waited at his house.

Once the Flash had left, she used Barry's hidden spare key to let herself inside. It still felt a little strange being inside his home without Barry there. It wasn't the first time. He had told her where the key was. However, it was the first time she had been there without his prior knowledge. She hated to admit how tempting it was to snoop. She was definitely one of those people who had no qualms about going through someone's medicine cabinet.

With determination not to lose her focus and invade Barry's privacy, she settled herself at the kitchen table and typed her notes into her notepad. The Flash's candidness hadn't been too much of a surprise. From the beginning, he had always been open and honest. After every incident in which he was involved, he had always found the time to talk to the police or victims. Unlike some of the other heroes, the Flash seemed to understand the strength of the personal touch.

The fact he hadn't told his girlfriend the truth bothered her more than she liked. She understood his reasoning. Revealing a secret identity was a big step. And what would happen if there was a bad break-up? If anyone discovered the fact that someone knew his identity, the threat to subvert his identity would be real. Phones and email could be hacked. Conversations could be recorded. Even the suggestion that someone might know an identity would be a high risk. The Flash's loved ones could be targeted. Their lives could be at risk.

Still, if he loved this woman, it seemed as if he should tell her the truth. Iris tried to put herself in the other woman's shoes. Would she want to know if her boyfriend was some masked vigilante? Of course. But was that only because she was also a reporter? Maybe. And what would that knowledge gain her? As much as she hated to admit it, the knowledge wouldn't gain her anything except added worry.

Yet, didn't the Flash need someone to share his troubles with? The other heroes were fine, and he probably did share a lot with the Green Lantern, but it seemed as if he would benefit from a non-costumed viewpoint. The other vigilantes were likely to hold skewed visions of everything. They most likely supported each other's actions, no questions asked. They would need to present a unified front. Someone outside of the costume would provide a different perspective, hopefully a viewpoint that was more connected to the real world.

His lack of response about his family also unsettled her. What did that mean? Did he think they would be ashamed of him? Would he be disowned if they knew? Was his family somehow connected to the criminal world and he was working against them? If he ever granted her another exclusive interview, she'd be prepared with a long list of questions. While plenty of questions had come to mind, it would have been nice to a list of topics from which to choose.

Time seemed to slip away as she put her thoughts into order and sketched out the article. It was times like this that reminded her how much she loved her job. She was so focused on the article, she never heard the door open. "Iris?"

She jumped at the sound of her name, quickly turning around. A smile appeared. "Barry, you'll never believe what happened," she started, standing up from the chair.

His smile mirrored her own; her excitement contagious. "What is it? Good news I take it?"

"I got the Flash interview."

"That's great! I heard he had been called to help with the evacuation when the gas line was cut."

She shook her head. "No, you don't understand. I got _the _interview. He picked me up and carried me to the roof of the First National Bank. We talked for almost an hour."

"That's great." He kissed her. "Was it everything you had hoped it would be?"

"He was very open. There were only a few things he asked to go off-the-record."

"Oh? Like what?"

"How he got his powers. His family."

"So, how did he get them?"

She smiled. "Good try, but I'm not telling you. He authorized me to say a 'freak electrical accident' and no more. I'm going to honor his request. But I can say it truly was a freak accident."

"And his family?"

"Ditto."

"Well, I'm sure that's one of the reasons he chose you. He knew he could trust you." Barry wrapped his arms around her and held her close. Iris rested her head against his chest and listened to his heartbeat. "I knew everything would work out."

"Cosmic intuition?"

"Common sense. You're a great reporter and a wonderful woman. The Flash would have to be blind not to see that."

She smiled against his chest. "But if the Flash isn't blind to those facts, doesn't that worry you?" Barry seemed to have his jealousy issues regarding Hal under control. She couldn't resist the opportunity to add the Flash to the mix.

"Nope, because you're my woman."

"'Your woman?'" The jealousy may have been gone, but Hal's influence always seemed to be present.

"Yep."

"And what makes you think that?"

"Because I think it's about time I showed her how much I love her."

Iris froze. She had resigned herself to the fact that her physical relationship with Barry seemed to be stuck in the slow zone. They fooled around, but when clothes seemed to become too loose or too few, Barry always found an excuse to stop. While it was sweet and endearing, it was also frustrating. The one spot in Barry's life where she wouldn't have minded a bit more influence by Hal. There was no doubt if Barry were Hal, they would have slept together by now. Then again, if Barry were Hal, they probably wouldn't be seeing each other any longer either. He would have gotten bored and moved on or the thought of commitment would have sent him running. "Barry-"

"I wanted it to be special."

Amber eyes met blue. "It would have always been special."

"I know, but I guess I wanted a bit more." He gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I-"

Her finger touched his lips and silenced him. Knowing Barry, he would continue talking and whatever moment they had would be lost. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him. "Care to show me what you had in mind?"

* * *

><p>With a feeling of relief, Wally drove out of the Wal-Mart parking lot. This day was definitely near the top of his list of strange experiences. Upon reporting to work that morning, Dr. Thawne had sent him to Kansas. Topeka to be exact. The Kansas state government had a state surplus program that was run out of Topeka. Dr. Thawne had given him a shopping list and a wad of cash. Wally had known better than to question, so he had grabbed the list and cash and decided to enjoy the day. Dr. Thawne had also given him three hundred dollars for the use of his truck and told him that he could charge the time as a normal work day. Log an entire day, earn a little extra money, and barely have to interact with Dr. Thawne. It was a dream come true.<p>

He couldn't deny he felt conflicted working at STAR Labs. There were days he was amazed that he was even there. Technically, he shouldn't be there. The fact they had violated their hiring policy seemed a bit unbelievable. Part of him wanted to believe it was because he was so amazing that they were willing to overlook a silly policy. The realist in him said otherwise. No matter what Iris said, he believed the truth was simply because he was related to Ira and they didn't want to piss off Ira West and the potential fiscal implications it could bring.

The internship was an amazing opportunity. It was a cutting edge research and development company. The number of patents held by STAR Labs seemed to grow daily. They worked with many of the world's top research universities and hospitals. They held numerous government contracts ranging from defense to environmental protection to public health. More importantly, they were leading the front in trying to understand superhumans and alien technology and biology.

Despite all that, more days than not, he wished he were anywhere else. But since it was an amazing opportunity, he didn't feel as if he could quit. What would that say? It wasn't as if the work were too hard. Instead, it was Dr. Thawne. Their personalities just didn't mesh. To think, he had been naïve enough to think things would get better once he gained a better understanding of Dr. Thawne's work style. He had never considered things could actually get worse.

Technically, he could quit at any time. There were no legal reasons he couldn't quit. He hadn't signed a contract and committed to a specified period of time. But there were other reasons. First was Iris. She was proud he had gotten the internship. He didn't want to disappoint her. She was his hero and role model. If he quit, it wouldn't be because he couldn't handle the work. Instead, he'd be quitting because he couldn't handle his supervisor. Over the years he had witnessed Iris put up with her fair share of idiotic supervisors and lazy coworkers. She had complained, vented loudly at home, but she had never quit or even threatened to quit. Instead, she always seemed to find a way to make a bad situation tolerable. He was trying to do that, but it was hard. He was a lowly intern. His options were limited. Worse, Dr. Thawne ruled his life. It was never a good sign when he was comparing life at STAR Labs to what his life had been like in Blue Valley. Things were definitely bad if he had to look to his childhood to try to feel better.

His second reason was Barry. Wally had grown to admire the other man. Barry seemed to have an innate goodness about him. From listening to Barry and Iris, Wally knew Barry's supervisor left a lot to be desired at times. Unlike Iris, Barry didn't complain or vent. It wasn't that he was stoic. Instead, he seemed to have accepted his place and was willing to work within the system. Wally wanted to make a good impression. If Barry could tolerate his supervisor, it seemed as if Wally could tolerate his, particularly since it was just an internship.

The final reason was Dr. Thawne. The researcher had made it perfectly clear that if Wally didn't meet his expectations, he wouldn't hesitate giving Wally a negative review. Maybe Wally would never need to use the man as a reference, but he didn't want to have to explain why a future potential employer shouldn't call a former supervisor. That would raise too many questions, questions that if he had to answer would make it look as if he didn't work well with others which was very much not the case. Likewise, it might look as if Wally couldn't handle difficult situations, which again was very much not the case. Dr. Thawne was just…unique? Special?

Calling the man "special" or "unique" didn't do him justice. Malcolm Thawne was cold. He was arrogant. He acted as if the rest of the world were beneath him. He lacked interpersonal skills. He didn't understand the concept of personal space. If a subject matter didn't interest him, he didn't even feign interest. If he thought an answer was stupid, he said so. His entire world seemed to revolve around his research which was focused on the Flash. The researcher seemed to live and breathe for the scarlet speedster. Not too surprisingly, it had earned him the nickname of Professor Zoom.

Iris' interview with the Flash seemed to have reinvigorated Dr. Thawne. While the interview had solidified Iris' career, it had also captured the researcher's attention. The man had poured over every word Iris had written. On more than one occasion, Wally had sat silently as the researcher had postulated various theories on why the Flash had answered some of the questions that way he had. Wally had also sat silently as the man had vilified Iris since she apparently hadn't asked the right questions or probed more deeply. It had taken every ounce of control on those occasions not to rise to Iris' defense. There was no way in hell Wally was going to let Dr. Thawne know that Iris was his aunt, that he had a personal connection to the reporter who had interviewed the Flash. Nothing good could come from that knowledge.

Wally arrived back at STAR Labs. While he hated working with Dr. Thawne, a different researcher had asked for his assistance. He was supposed to have cleared the extra work through Dr. Thawne, but Wally knew the man would have denied the request. So he hadn't asked. Eventually Thawne would find out, but Wally hoped that by then he would have sufficiently wowed Dr. Tina McGee with his abilities that she would jump to his defense. Until then, he'd continue to work for her on the sly.

He returned to his desk and checked his email. As promised, Dr. McGee had emailed him the data she wanted him to analyze. Wally hit the print button. The work was mostly busy work and Dr. McGee had said as much. Wally didn't care. If he did well, he hoped he could use her as a potential future reference. Maybe, if luck were truly on his side, he could somehow become her intern rather than Dr. Thawne's.

After checking his email and filling out his timesheet, he grabbed the paper from the printer. Instead of the rows and columns of data he was expecting to see, he saw text. Dr. Thawne must have forgotten to grab the document from the printer before leaving for the day. Wally was about to put the sheets back when the word "Flash" caught his eye. Glancing surreptitiously over his shoulder, his eyes quickly scanned the paper. As they did, it felt as if his world were starting to fall apart.

His mind struggled to accept what he was reading. It was Iris' notes on her interview with the Flash. While he had never seen the notes until now, he knew Iris' writing style. This was it. There was no doubt in his mind. But how had Dr. Thawne gotten them?

Less than a minute later, he had copied the papers and placed the originals back on the printer. Inside the safety of his truck, he studied the notes more closely. There were the facts Iris had shared in her article. Then there was everything else. Even her notes stated that those facts were "off-the-record." Wally focused on one particular piece of information. Iris' article had noted the Flash had gotten his powers through a freak electrical accident. Dr. Thawne had philosophized long on that topic since his original belief that been a radiation accident. The man had not been happy to realize his original theory had been incorrect. He had even ventured that perhaps the Flash had lied about how he had gotten his powers, had stated it was an electrical accident to just throw everyone off. Yet another sign of how out of touch Dr. Thawne really was.

Thawne had wondered aloud about the type of electrical accident, the severity of it. Had it been manmade? Or had nature intervened? What voltage? How long of contact? Iris' notes provided the details. Lightning bolt. Her notes also provided additional information. It wasn't just an electrical shock. Chemicals had also played a role. The only thing her notes didn't provide was a list of the chemicals.

Was this why Dr. Thawne had sent him to Topeka? The man's shopping list had been odd – three generators along with miscellaneous wiring, circuits and switches. Wally had thought the purchases were strange since the man was a physicist, not an engineer. Yet Wally had known better than to question the researcher. Just like he hadn't questioned the researcher on the purchases, he also hadn't questioned when the man had instructed him to meet at a Wal-Mart parking lot to unload the purchases. Wally had had to look for a white cargo van. All of it was odd, but so was Dr. Thawne.

If he put all the facts together, what was the result? Why the secrecy? Was Dr. Thawne trying to hide this from STAR Labs? Or was there an innocent explanation? More importantly, did Dr. Thawne think he could replicate the accident? The generators Wally had purchased were nothing special, just basic models that could power a few appliances in the event electrical service was lost. Even if they were linked together, they couldn't mimic the power of a lightning bolt. A chill ran down Wally's spine at the thought. Why would the man want to replicate the accident that had created the Flash? Did he think he could become a speedster? Did he want to be a hero?

Pushing those thoughts aside he focused on a greater worry. How had Dr. Thawne gotten a copy of Iris' notes? The man didn't seem overly adept at computers. Wally couldn't picture the man hacking his way into Iris' computer. He supposed Dr. Thawne could have paid someone else to do it. It seemed unreal that the man would go to those lengths to know what had been said between Iris and the Flash. Then again, this was Dr. Thawne. He probably thought he was entitled to know and would do whatever he could to obtain the information.

Iris had always had to deal with her share of personalities. It came with her job. People would demand information about an article she had written. If it were public information, she would tell them how they could obtain a copy of their own. If it were non-public information, such as her interview notes, she'd politely but firmly tell them no. If they persisted, which on occasion some did, she knew who at the newspaper to contact, even though Wally suspected Iris often just told the people off.

Had Dr. Thawne requested the information? Had he gotten frustrated when she had rebuffed him? Frustrated enough to hack into her computer? That seemed over the top. Was the man truly that obsessed with the Flash to hack – or pay someone to hack – into Iris' computer? Sadly, Wally knew the answer to that question was a resounding yes. No one could deny Thawne's obsession, but would he have thought to hack her files? It seemed a long shot.

There was also the issue of how the files had been obtained. What had been hacked? Had it been their home network? Wally had set up the network to be password protected. It also had some basic encryption, but nothing fancy. It wouldn't be too hard to break into it. Maybe it was time to upgrade their security. Then again, if it were their home network, how had the hacker known where to look? Had he tracked Iris through the ISP address? Did he know where Iris lived? Had he followed her to a coffee shop? Iris had a habit of working at coffee shops. If she went online at a coffee shop, how hard would it be to monitor what she was doing? Those networks weren't secure. It wouldn't be hard to identify the computers that were using the network and link to those computers.

Wally really didn't want to consider that possibility of someone following Iris. So that left the newspaper. The newspaper seemed as if it would be more difficult to hack. It would have better security. Or at least one would assume it would have better security.

His anxiety lessened slightly when he arrived at the apartment. The security breach had occurred at the newspaper. Iris' notes had been one of thousands of files that had been stolen. What worried him and irritated Iris was that the newspaper didn't seem overly concerned. No account information had been stolen. All subscriber and employee data was safe. In the world of corporate security breaches, they had gotten off easy.

"Are they investigating?"

"They are, but mostly they're just looking to improve the firewalls and other security measures to prevent it from happening again. They are also thanking their lucky stars that no confidential information had been taken." Iris shrugged. "It all just makes me realize the importance of backing up everything here. I mean, yes, they backup the network every night. My files were stolen, not lost. But still…just a bit more peace of mind."

"Maybe I'll upgrade the security on our wireless," Wally suggested.

"If you think it's necessary."

"Just a bit more peace of mind," he replied. Iris smiled as he mimicked her words. Minutes later, she said goodbye. Tonight was another night of dinner with Barry.

As soon as she was gone, Wally stood next to the patio door and looked out the window. About a minute later, he watched her car exit the parking lot. Just as he was about to turn away, he noticed another car exit the parking lot, turning in the same direction Iris had. Coincidence or something else? Only a few hours earlier he wouldn't have even given it a second thought. Now, his mind immediately wondered if someone was following Iris.

He should have told her what had happened, how he had found her notes on the printer. But what good would that have done? Knowing his aunt, there was a very good chance she would have confronted Dr. Thawne. That would not be a good thing. But would her mind have jumped to the same conclusions he had? Or would she have just told him he was being paranoid about nothing? Maybe whoever had hacked into the newspaper had posted the files online. Maybe that's how Dr. Thawne had gotten them. But if that were the case, wouldn't some media outlet have picked up on that? Wouldn't the newspaper's security breach been a top news story?

Instinct told him none of this was coincidence. The odds were just too great. If someone had truly wanted to violate the newspaper's security, why hadn't they taken any of the confidential information? Thousands could have been made by selling bank account and credit card information. Was the breach of the newspaper's security just a cover? Had their home network been breached as well? Or was the newspaper hiding some of the information that had been taken? The possibilities seemed endless. Only one thing seemed clear. He needed to keep a closer eye on Iris and on Dr. Thawne, at least until he had a better idea of what had happened and what Dr. Thawne intended to do with Iris' notes. He grabbed the keys to his truck from the counter. Iris had told him where she and Barry were having dinner. For his own peace of mind, he'd just drive by, make sure she had made it safely to the restaurant, make sure Barry was with her, maybe scan the area to see if anyone seemed to be watching the restaurant. But would he notice someone? He supposed he could wait until Iris and Barry left the restaurant, see if anyone followed them. Then he would know for certain. It seemed like a good plan.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: These characters aren't mine.

A/N: This story is AU. See Chapter 1 for more details.

* * *

><p>"Today, three members of the Justice League took time to-"<p>

Iris paused in her work and turned her attention to the television news show. As the news anchor read the story, the screen showed three members of the Justice League – the Flash, Green Lantern and Wonder Woman – helping raise money for a charity. The news anchor noted that ever since the Flash had given a one-on-one interview with a reporter from Central City, there had been a noticeable change with some of the world's heroes. As strange as it sounded, it seemed as if the heroes had relaxed a bit, as if the Flash had broken through some unseen barrier. While none of the other heroes had given an in-depth interview like the Flash had, they somehow seemed more open and approachable.

Iris breathed a sigh of relief. Hopefully it was a good sign she hadn't been contacted by the network to provide her thoughts on why the heroes seemed to be acting different. While she had known her Flash interview would grab attention, she hadn't been prepared for the level of attention. She had been naïve, something she was embarrassed to admit. It had been a given the Associated Press would pick up her story and make it available worldwide. Immediately the television news shows and talk shows had started calling. Her editor had demanded that she accept at least two interviews – one with a news show and one with a talk show. Iris had balked at the idea, but her editor had made it known that he had the final say. Besides, two interviews was better than demanding three or even more. So, against her better judgment, she had traveled to one of the local network affiliates to give remote interviews. She had flatly refused to travel to New York. Maybe others would have viewed it as an honor, but she wasn't one of them. She viewed the interviews as nothing but an inconvenience.

Both interviews had left her with a sour taste. For the first time, she had experienced what it felt like to be the interviewee rather than the interviewer. She hadn't enjoyed the experience. Both interviewers had seemed to have been eagerly waiting for her to slip up, to admit to something that hadn't been in her article. If she hadn't been a reporter, hadn't been aware of their tactics, it might have worked. Instead, she had stuck to the facts, not been intimidated by their pregnant pauses. Looking back, she hoped to use her interviewee experiences as a means to become a more conscientious reporter.

Thankfully, interest in her and the Flash interview had quickly waned. Other stories had captured the media's fickle attention. However, the current television program revealed that the interest hadn't completely died. If – no, when – she landed another Flash interview, Iris suspected the attention would return. Worse, she expected the attention could turn downright nasty if her next Flash interview was not as in-depth as her first, or if the Flash decided to give someone else an in-depth interview. The joys of life in the world of the media.

It seemed as if it would only be a matter of time before another hero granted an in-depth interview. Already, the heroes seemed more inclined to drop a small nugget of personal information rather sticking strictly to the facts. Iris the Green Lantern would be the next hero to follow in the Flash's footsteps. Why she suspected such a thing was a mystery. It was merely a hunch…perhaps because the Flash and Green Lantern were friends, perhaps because she thought the Flash would have some influence on the Green Lantern.

Thinking of the Green Lantern, she watched him on the television screen. A broad smile covered his face. Iris froze. That smile. She knew that smile. Her eyes moved to that lock of brown hair that seemed to fall across the brow and ask to be swept back. She recognized it as well. Hal. It had to be. It couldn't be.

With a quickened heartbeat, her fingers flew across her laptop's keyboard. The last time Hal had visited, she, Barry, Hal and Wally had gone out to celebrate the Flash interview. Photos had been taken. A double-click of the mouse enlarged one of the photos to reveal a smiling Hal. A quick Internet search got her a picture of Green Lantern. She placed the pictures side-by-side. Even though Green Lantern wore a mask, it was impossible to deny the resemblance. The same carefree smile, the same errant lock of brown hair, the same build… Hal Jordan was the Green Lantern, or at least one of them. If it wasn't Hal, it had to be his twin brother. In her heart, though, she knew it was Hal. Had she just cracked a superhero secret identity? It couldn't be. It had to be.

Iris sat back and stared at the pictures. It fit. It made sense. And it was more than just looks. Hal lived in Coast City. While no one knew where the Green Lantern lived, the hero – at least the Green Lantern on her computer screen – protected Coast City. The other Green Lanterns seemed to focus on either New York City or Detroit. It could be assumed that this Green Lantern lived either in or near Coast City, which made the possibility of Hal being the Green Lantern even more likely.

Staring at the pictures, thinking about Hal, it seemed so obvious. How had she missed it? How had anyone missed it? He only used a mask to cover his eyes and nose. A quick Internet search located an audio clip of the Green Lantern's voice. He didn't say much, but Iris recognized the voice. He did nothing to try to disguise it.

Her eyes moved back to the television. The story was over. A commercial was selling the benefits of a new arthritis drug. Her mind continued to assemble the facts. Hal Jordan was the Green Lantern. The Green Lantern and the Flash were good friends. Like the Green Lantern, no one knew where the Flash lived, however, he protected Central City. Hal visited Central City frequently. Could she tie the dates of his visits with Green Lantern appearances? Perhaps not all of his visits, but she suspected she could for many of his visits.

The bigger question was why – why did Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern seem to favor Central City after Coast City? Because there was someone in Central City…a friend…the Flash. That assumption only led to one obvious conclusion. "Barry's the Flash," she whispered. It made logical sense, except that there were absolutely no signs – no indications – that Barry was the Flash. Yes, he was good-natured and friendly like the Flash. The two men shared a similar build, but Iris never would have guessed Barry was atypically strong or fast. He seemed like an average guy. Then again, so did Hal. There were no signs or indications that he was the Green Lantern. He didn't even wear a green ring.

If she didn't doubt Hal was the Green Lantern, why did she doubt Barry as the Flash? The fact Barry was perpetually late didn't help matters. Some might argue that his tardiness could be viewed as a cover, but Iris knew that wasn't the case. It was simply who Barry was. He didn't try to be late. He didn't purposefully dawdle. Instead, he simply got caught up in whatever he was doing at the time. She had quickly learned that if she wanted to be with Barry, she needed to accept his lack of time management skills.

The only thing Barry definitely seemed to share in common with the Flash was blue eyes. It didn't seem to be enough. If she tried to base a story on just one fact and lots of coincidences, she'd be a laughingstock. But how much different was it from believing Hal was the Green Lantern? She had made that jump using just two facts – a smile and a lock of hair – and lots of coincidences.

Besides, the key seemed to be Barry and Hal's friendship. Since she had first met Barry, Barry had never been able to give her a logical explanation for how he and Hal were friends. Even her own investigation had revealed no reasons to support the friendship of two men who had met in Central City while the city was being attacked by a gorilla…who was eventually stopped by the Flash and Green Lantern, she silently added. During the interview, the Flash had confirmed he and Green Lantern had first worked together when Gorilla Grodd had attacked Central City. Barry and Hal had truly met due to a gorilla. The story – as strange as it sounded – had been the truth…just not all the facts.

Could she really blame him or Hal being vague? Had she been completely truthful about everything? Definitely not. She had never outright lied, but she hadn't always been completely forthcoming either. Just like Barry and Hal.

What would they do when they learned she had figured out their identities? Would it change anything? Would she view Barry and Hal differently now that she knew they were two of the world's heroes? She honestly didn't know. It obviously changed her perception of the men, of who they were. Barry was no longer "just" a police scientist; Hal was no longer "just" a fighter jet pilot. But did their hero personas really differ from the men she knew? Having interviewed the Flash, or rather Barry in the Flash persona, she knew the answer was no. For at least both Barry and Hal, their civilian personalities seemed to mimic their hero personalities.

Perhaps the bigger question was whether her knowledge would change how they viewed her? Being a reporter would demand a close look at the issue of trust. Publicly identifying either or both of them could make her career…it could even make her rich. Even if she didn't break the story, she could easily sell the story. Her financial concerns could be a thing of the past. Then again, her relationship with Barry would also be a thing of the past and she wasn't willing to risk that relationship. Besides, even if she didn't care about her relationship with Barry, she still couldn't picture herself doing anything with the information. What good would be gained by knowing who the Flash or Green Lantern really were? When it came to knowing the person behind the mask, the benefits of having a secret identity seemed to weigh in the favor of the heroes. Secret identities allowed them to have a life. The public wasn't harmed by not knowing who they really were.

Hopefully Barry and Hal would use her Flash interview as a measuring stick for her trustworthiness. As Barry could attest, she had honored his requests to not share some information. She hadn't even alluded to it or spun her own theories.

Besides, all this presumed she was going to admit to Barry and Hal that she knew. Most likely, they would vehemently deny her allegations. Most likely they would have a long list of possible – and highly plausible – explanations. What good would telling them she knew do? It would just cause them added worry. Besides, the Flash's – Barry's – fears echoed in her mind. His fears related to the safety of those who knew who he was. She suddenly understood what he had meant when he said the knowledge was a burden. Now that she knew, she couldn't forget. Now that she knew, she'd worry every time the Flash was involved in a conflict of any sort. Maybe it didn't happen often, but even superheroes could get hurt. Though, come to think of it, she had never seen as much as a scratch or bruise on Barry which did seem a little strange. She pushed the thought from her mind. She wasn't going to start wondering again if Barry were the Flash. In her heart, she knew he was. End of story.

Or was it? Maybe she could call Barry or drop by the police station unexpectedly…if she stopped by his office, she could discreetly compare Barry's story of what he had been doing earlier today when the Flash had been out East to what his coworkers said. She sighed. Did it matter? What did she want to prove? Even if she proved he had been gone, what good would that information do? She couldn't – or wouldn't – share it with anyone else. She didn't want to confront Barry with it either, at least not yet.

Her cell phone buzzed. Iris glanced at the screen. A three-alarm fire in the warehouse district near the riverfront. It wasn't her typical beat, but the reporter who usually covered such incidents was on vacation and Iris was covering for him. She shut her laptop, grabbed her purse and keys, and headed out the door. Thoughts of Barry and Hal and the Flash and the Green Lantern pushed to the side as her mind shifted into reporter gear.

Arriving on the scene, she recognized several other reporters. Iris also recognized one of the police officers assigned to crowd control. "Hi, Fred," she greeted with a smile.

Fred Chyre returned the smile when he recognized who had spoken his name. While Fred managed to project the temperament of a grizzly bear, Iris had learned the man was mostly a teddy bear on the inside. More than once she had witnessed his "softer" side as he had comforted various crime victims over the years. More than once she had also heard stories of how he had scared the hell out of a young would-be delinquent and kept them on the right side of the law. "Iris."

"Can you share any details?"

"Don't know any."

"Not even how it started?"

A smirk appeared. "A spark."

"Ha, ha."

Fred chuckled. "Sorry, Iris, I really don't have any information. I was told to keep an eye on the crowd and that's what I'm doing. You'll just have to wait like everyone else."

Trying to woo another officer into giving her a tidbit would be pointless. She knew Fred well enough that he would have shared any information if he had had it. "So, anything else happening in the department that I should know about?"

He grinned and started to speak. Whatever Fred had been going to say, which knowing Fred would have been a lot of BS, was lost in the ensuing events. The events themselves occurred quickly. One second she was standing, the next second she found herself sandwiched between the pavement and Fred's body. His eyes gazed at her with concern. His mouth was moving, but she couldn't hear him over the ringing in her ears. Her mind raced to process what had happened. Fred had been about to answer her, there had been a loud explosion, and Fred had pushed her to the ground, using his body to protect her. He helped her to her feet. A cut marred his forehead. It was bleeding profusely. "You're hurt."

Fred touched his forehead and looked at the blood on his fingertips. He wiped his hand on his pants leg. "Are you okay?"

The ringing had lessened slightly. This time she heard his words. "Yes." Her body ached and she knew she'd be bruised in the morning. Fred hadn't been gentle when he had shoved her to the ground. Dust slowly settled to the ground. Her clothes were dirty, her skin felt grimy.

"I realize telling you to go home is pointless, but stay out of trouble," he directed before leaving her to help others. Iris allowed herself to take in the scene. The confusion and fear were almost palatable. The explosion had thrown debris into the area where the onlookers had watched and waited. Thankfully, since the fire was in the warehouse district, the number of rubberneckers was few. It explained why only a couple individuals lay on the ground, police officers motioning for paramedics. Everyone else seemed a bit dazed like herself. Her eyes slowly moved toward the buildings. Whatever progress the firefighters had made was gone. The fire seemed to have been renewed. Worse, it looked as if several fire trucks had been damaged and firefighters injured.

One question dominated her thoughts. Where's the Flash? The Flash – Barry – had never limited himself to just supervillain related activities. He had never hesitated to help wherever help was needed. Many of the other heroes were the same way. Still, while he had never said anything during their interview, she knew there was a very fine line the heroes walked. That line wasn't just in their vigilante activities, ensuring they never killed someone. It was also how much they helped. The heroes couldn't do everything. They couldn't protect the public from everything. Bad things were still going to happen. Accidents were still going to happen. While most people seemed to understand and accept the argument, it was times like this one that put it all into doubt. If the Flash had been here, would the fire already be out? Would the explosion have occurred? Would any firefighters have been injured? Even she, the woman who had written the article that had documented the good the Flash had caused over the past five years, was now questioning where he was. Worse, now she knew who the man was behind the mask…

As if in response to her thoughts, Iris noticed the flames on one of the warehouses suddenly disappeared. It could not have happened naturally nor could it have been the result of the firefighters' efforts. It had happened too quickly.

"Looks like our speedy friend is here," a voice commented dryly. Iris glanced over her shoulder to see that Fred had returned. She only nodded as another one of the adjacent warehouse fires disappeared, leaving only the original fire remaining. The Flash paused by the fire chief. Judging by his arm gestures, the chief was explaining the situation to the Flash.

To her growing anxiety, she watched as the Flash – as Barry – disappeared into the burning warehouse. Seconds later, he emerged carrying a firefighter. He gently laid the firefighter on a waiting gurney and immediately disappeared into the flames again. He repeated the trip two more times, each time emerging with an injured firefighter. On the fourth trip, another explosion occurred. As before, Fred again quickly moved to protect Iris with his body. It wasn't as severe as the first explosion, but it was still bad. Another fireball rose into the sky. Iris stared at the entrance in which the Flash – Barry – had disappeared, silently willing – praying – for him to appear. The seconds ticked by. Each second felt like an eternity. It seemed as if everyone else were holding their breath as well.

Nearly a minute passed before the Flash emerged with another firefighter. He was moving slower than normal. Two paramedics helped him place the firefighter on a waiting gurney. One of the paramedics moved to assist the Flash, but he waved them away.

Iris watched, feeling a mixture of helplessness and fear wash over her. She wanted to rush up to him and hold him, but she couldn't. To the world it would appear as if Iris West were hugging the Flash, when in reality she would be hugging Barry. A subtle but crucial difference. Neither she nor Barry needed the rumors or innuendos that would start if she did such a thing. Likewise, she knew Barry would worry that she would suddenly be identified as someone close to the Flash.

As he stood near the paramedics, his usual energy seemed to be gone. It was easy to see he was hurt. His costume was ripped in several spots. Other areas were blackened from smoke. He seemed to favor his right ribs. When the fire chief approached him, he turned and Iris gasped. Most of the costume covering his back was burned away. Even from a distance, his skin looked burned. More than ever she wanted to race to his side.

"So, our hero _can_ bleed," a voice commented.

Iris turned to see a man she didn't recognize standing next to her. "Excuse me?"

"Our hero. He can bleed. Guess that proves he's human after all."

"I didn't realize there were any doubts," Iris replied, failing to keep the sarcasm out of her voice.

The man shrugged. "He can run past the speed of sound. What human can do that?"

"You thought he was an alien?"

"Considering how many of them seem to be around, why not?"

While she couldn't argue about the increasing frequency of aliens being sighted or using Earth as their battle ground, it was preposterous to think that the Flash was an alien. Iris shook her head, her gaze returning to Barry. "Have you or anyone you know had any interaction with the Flash?"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Just humor me."

The man sighed loudly. "No. What about you?"

"I have."

The man's interest seemed piqued. "How?"

"I interviewed him." The man frowned. Iris felt a small spark of satisfaction. She held out of her hand. "Iris West, _Central City Citizen_." The man's frown deepened. Iris forced herself to be patient. "And you are?"

"Dr. Malcolm Thawne." He didn't shake her proffered hand.

Iris let her hand drop and forced her face to remain impassive. She didn't want Dr. Thawne to realize she knew who he was. To her surprise, he looked a bit as she had pictured him – aristocratic and smug. Still, putting everything into context, his response surprised her. For a man who was obsessed about any related to the Flash, it seemed odd that he would question whether the Flash were human. Then again, according to Wally, the man was interested in studying the Flash's abilities. He'd been denied direct access to the Flash. Perhaps to appease his own ego, he had taken that denial and developed a story that the Flash didn't want to participate because he wasn't human. "So, why did you think he's an alien?"

"I never said that. You did. I just admitted it as a possibility."

She didn't want Wally's comments to taint her view of the man. She wanted to keep an open mind, but she realized it was going to be extremely difficult. "I stand corrected."

"Hopefully your articles are written with more focus on the truth than your speaking skills. Even though it does explain your Flash interview."

Correction, impossible. It took all of her inner strength not to punch the man. With her luck, he'd claim assault and she'd be arrested. Wally would understand and laugh like hell, but Barry definitely wouldn't understand. "I thought the Flash interview went well. You obviously don't. What didn't you like about it?"

"The lack of details."

"The Flash has a right to privacy."

"So, you admit there are things you didn't publish."

"I never said that. You did." He recognized his own words being thrown back at him. His displeasure was readily apparent. "Why do you care?"

"I'm the world's foremost Flash researcher."

This man's ego definitely needed no inflating. "Really. I've never heard of you. I'm guessing if I ask the average person on the street, they'll never have heard of you either."

Dr. Thawne scowled. "That's because my research is still in the investigative stage."

"And what does the Flash think about this research?" The man's scowl deepened and he remained silent. Iris mentally patted herself on the back. "He does know about your research, doesn't he?"

"Yes."

"And?"

"The research is classified."

"But you're researching the Flash. Surely, he would – or should – have access to the information, classified or not."

"And you're a reporter. Why would I tell you? What do I get in exchange?"

Interesting turn of events. Then again, maybe not. His ego needed feeding. An article would do just that. "Media access."

"Is that all you gave the Flash? Media access? Or did you give him something else as well?"

"Excuse me?"

"What did you give the Flash in return for his interview?" The man seemed to be leering at her.

Iris glared at him with full understanding of his innuendo. It wasn't the first time she had heard that she had had sex with the Flash in payment for the one-on-one interview. Technically, she had had sex with the Flash. Technically, the sex had occurred after the interview. But she hadn't known Barry was the Flash at the time. Besides none it really mattered. Worse, did this man actually think she would sleep with him for an interview? If she weren't so angry, she would have laughed at the thought. "Your insinuation that I slept with the Flash is disgusting and ludicrous. Worst, it violates my ethics and morals, something I'm guessing you have troubles with."

The man visibly bristled. Iris felt a surge of satisfaction. Yet, despite her ever increasing dislike of this man, her reporter instinct demanded she talk to him. The scene of a fire, though, was not the ideal situation. She should be focused on the fire, not some other potential story. "Since you're the world's foremost researcher on the Flash-" Iris mentally patted herself on the back for keeping the sarcasm out of her voice "-would you be interested in sharing some of your thoughts with the public? You could comment on the Flash's interview, what he said, give your insights. Does something like that interest you, Dr. Thawne?" She purposefully used his title, noticing he seemed to stand a little taller.

"It's a tempting offer. I need to think about it."

Iris dug in her purse and handed him her business card. "I'll contact you in a couple days. If you have any questions in the meantime, give me a call." Dr. Thawne pocketed the card.

In the background, Iris noticed the fire chief appeared ready to speak to the media based on the sudden group of reporters nearby. It provided the perfect excuse to leave. As she joined the other reporters, her eyes scanned the scene for any hint of the Flash. There were none. While he usually hung around afterwards, he didn't always and this was definitely one of those latter occasions. Given the burns on his back, it wasn't surprising.

Iris scribbled notes as the chief discussed the fire. The cause of the fire was under investigation. Three warehouses had been destroyed. One firefighter had been killed, ten others injured. The chief noted that if it had not been for the Flash's efforts, more firefighters would have died. He also noted that the first explosion had caused minor injuries among the bystanders, as well as damaging numerous fire and police vehicles with debris. When the fire chief stopped speaking, the reporters hit him with a barrage of questions. Iris remained silent. Her editor would have been very disappointed to learn she didn't ask any questions. In her view, there was a time and place for everything and this definitely was not one of those times to be aggressive. Besides, anything she might have asked was being asked by other reporters. If she remained respectful, there was a chance the fire chief would treat her the same if a follow-up interview was required.

As she walked back to her car, her eyes scanned the crowd. Dr. Thawne had disappeared. Thinking about it, it was rather strange the man had been at the scene. What would a researcher be doing in this part of town? His answer of seeing the Flash seemed lame. The man was up to something, but what? She pushed the question from her mind. She would focus on it later.

Digging through her purse, she removed her cell phone. Her worry about Barry remained high. Why, on the day she had figured out that her boyfriend was the Flash, did she also have to witness the Flash being hurt? She dialed his number. He answered on the third ring. "Hey, handsome, can I interest you in catching a cup of coffee and dessert?"

"That sounds tempting, but I can't. Big case. I'll have to take a rain check."

How convenient. It was impossible to know whether he was avoiding her or telling the truth. Both options were plausible. Still, she wasn't ready to give up. "Maybe I could swing by the station with something?"

"Not tonight. It's busy."

"Barry, you have to eat."

"I know and I will. Listen, if I get done before midnight, should I stop by your apartment?"

Iris bit back a sigh. It was the best she was going to get. "That sounds good."

"Good. Look, I got to go. Love you."

"Love you, too." Iris hung up. She hated herself for driving past his house to verify he truly was at work. She trusted him. She truly did, but if he had been injured, would he want her to see him? It would require him to lie and Barry was terrible at it. His house was dark. She should have been happy at the sight. It proved he was at work…or that he was home but hadn't turned on the lights. She drove off before she lost all common sense and trust in him and rang the doorbell. The apartment was quiet when she returned home. No Wally to talk to. She'd have to brood and worry on her own.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: These characters aren't mine.

A/N: This story is AU. See Chapter 1 for more details.

* * *

><p>Wally stared at the newspaper article. Five unidentified bodies had been found hidden among the debris from the warehouse fire. The bodies had been burned beyond recognition. It was yet unknown if the individuals had died from smoke inhalation or if they had been dead prior to the fire. A source close to the investigation – whom Wally knew was Barry since Iris was the reporter – hinted it seemed likely that the individuals had been dead prior to the fire since the bodies had been found in a manner that didn't allude to escape or cowering. The source – Barry – had not provided any more details on what he had meant.<p>

With a sigh, he refolded the article. How many times had he read it? Two days had passed since the article had been published. Two days in which he had hardly slept. His conscience nagged him. Five. Not three. Three would have been bad enough. Now there were two more. His stomach churned. His head ached. Wally knew he needed to talk to someone. He needed to share what he knew. He needed to cast light on the details the police had not yet uncovered. Yet, he felt paralyzed. Who did he tell? What should he say?

Worse, as soon as he said anything, he'd also hurt Iris. That was the last thing he ever wanted to do. She didn't need the added complications of finding herself connected to this mess and that would definitely happen. The media would have a field day. It was bad enough listening to Dr. Thawne vent about Iris and the Flash. The researcher's obsession that Iris knew more than she actually did about the Flash's origin seemed to have no bounds. Dr. Thawne's rants would most likely pale in comparison to whatever the media speculated.

But he had to tell someone. If he didn't…well, he already had trouble sleeping, he had already lost his appetite… The information was slowly eating away at him. Iris had noticed, but he'd been able to deflect her questions and concerns, but how long would that work? Eventually she would push for the truth.

Either Iris or Barry seemed to be the logical choice of whom to tell. The police should probably be on the list, should probably be the first choice, but Wally pushed that possibility from his mind. Barry worked for the police department. He wasn't an actual officer, but it seemed close enough.

Even though the news would hurt Iris when she realized her role, telling her – opening up to her – would be the easiest. They shared almost everything. Few secrets existed between them, and those secrets revolved around his childhood. No one needed to know what had truly happened all those years ago. Iris' guilt would only increase. Wally knew she blamed herself and Ira for having missed the signs of abuse. Wally didn't blame either of them. His parents were at fault for what had happened, not Iris or his grandpa. Besides, Iris was intuitive and smart. Wally suspected that she had put together most of the missing pieces of his childhood. Thankfully, she had never shared her theories with him.

Apart from protecting Iris, the other big hurdle was having Iris listen as a friend, not as his guardian (even though technically she was no longer his guardian since he was an adult), not as his aunt, and definitely not as a reporter. Even he knew that would be asking too much of her. Iris would not sit idly on the sidelines. She'd speculate. She'd investigate. Worse, she'd confront. She'd done all those things to Barry when faced with a question he wouldn't answer, or at least wouldn't answer to her satisfaction. The last thing he wanted was Iris confronting Dr. Thawne. No good could come of that. Besides, so far, Wally had been successful in keeping Dr. Thawne from realizing that the reporter who had interviewed the Flash was Wally's aunt. The researcher had never even commented on the identical last names. It was a piece of information Wally wanted to keep uncovered. Realizing Wally was related to the reporter who was fueling his frustration would not be a good thing.

Then there was Barry. While neither Barry nor Iris would admit it, Wally was certain he would have an uncle in the near future. Iris settling down had always seemed as likely as winning the million dollar lottery, but that had all been before Barry. It still seemed unreal that Iris had fallen for a science guy. After growing up with Ira, it seemed as if she would have run in the opposite direction. Then again, it was the life she lived. If it weren't Ira, it was him…even though he desperately hoped he would never be considered a typical "science guy." He was cooler than that, wasn't he? Not that it really mattered. Barry was proving to be a natural fit in the West family.

Barry hadn't only impacted Iris' life for the better. He had also impacted Wally's. A solid friendship had developed between them. Wally knew, that like Iris, he could talk to Barry about anything, that Barry would listen without judgment. And unlike Iris, Barry wouldn't turn into a vigilante, out to right any wrong – real or perceived. Or at least his heart believed that would be the case. This time, though, might be the exception. Would Barry be able to separate something personal from his police work, particularly if the two were interrelated? If Wally talked to Barry, he needed Barry to listen as a friend, not as a representative of the police department. Wally was uncertain if Barry would be able to walk that line. For Barry, the world seemed to be black and white. Wally doubted Barry could remain objective if dealing in greys.

Unconsciously, he unfolded the article again. Five. The first time, he hadn't suspected anything. He had watched as Dr. Thawne had guided a young man into the warehouse. He had waited outside for what seemed like an eternity. Almost three hours later, the researcher had emerged alone, carefully locking the door behind him. Wally hadn't thought much about it. It was a big warehouse. There was probably more than one exit. When it had happened a second time, he had felt a twinge of unease. Once Dr. Thawne had departed, once Wally had been certain the man wouldn't be returning, Wally had scoped out the building, looking for a second entrance. He had located another door, but it was boarded up, the boards weathered with no signs of recent use. There were no other doorways. While the warehouse had windows, they were inaccessible, located near the roofline. It had appeared as if there were only one way in and one way out. Wally had tried the door. It had been locked as he had suspected it would be. He had pounded on the door and shouted, but there had been no answer, no indication of anyone else inside.

His mind had begun to race, creating a list of possibilities of what could be occurring inside, why two people entered but only one left. Each possibility had been extreme. Each had seemed unreal. None had resulted in a dead body.

Why had he thought something suspicious was occurring? The answer was simple. Iris. She had taught him to listen to his instinct. How many times had Iris told him that if something felt right, go for it; but if something felt wrong or off, to either stop or pause? It was rules she lived by. It was rules that allowed her to be a successful reporter. He tried to live by those rules as well. And when it came to Dr. Thawne, nothing seemed right.

Wally ran his hand through his hair. The third time…he could still recall the chill that had run down his spine as he had watched Dr. Thawne escort yet another young man inside the building. Wally had panicked. A brave man would have entered the building and confronted Dr. Thawne. A smart man would have called the police with a tip about suspicious activity. He had been neither. He had been a coward. Instead, he had worried and waited. When Dr. Thawne had emerged alone, instead of confronting the scientist, Wally had waited until the man had departed. Once again, Wally had pounded on the door, calling for someone to open the door. There had been no response. He had gone to the other door he had located the previous time. While the wood and nails looked old, they were solid. Try as he might, he hadn't been able to budge the boards.

That night he had reached a decision. He had known that he had needed to do something. He had decided to warn Dr. Thawne, to let the researcher know that someone knew what he was doing. It wasn't exactly the truth, but Wally had hoped it would be sufficient. He had sent the researcher an anonymous note. Looking back, Wally wasn't quite sure what he had hoped would happen. Obviously, he had hoped Dr. Thawne would stop, but beyond that, he hadn't thought about what might happen. The next night, the warehouse had gone up in flames…and then he had learned that there had been five victims, not three.

The reports about the five victims hadn't been released immediately. Iris' first article had run, noting only the death of one firefighter. Wally had been relieved to have learned that no one else had been discovered inside. He had falsely believed that he had misinterpreted all the facts. Dr. Thawne had left the warehouse, but perhaps the other person had left even later. Wally had never hung around. It could have been that the person simply hadn't heard Wally pounding on the door.

Then Iris' next article had deflated his hopes. Things were actually worse than he had thought they were. His world had seemed to collapse into a series of what-ifs. What if he had done this? What if he had done that? What if, what if, what if…

"Wally, hey, sorry I'm late."

Wally gave a small smile. Forty minutes late. If it had been any other time, he might have complained. This time he was just relieved he hadn't been stood up. "No problem."

"What can I do for you?"

"I'm…I'm hoping you can give me some advice on what I should do." It took two cups of coffee and a slice of pie to steady his nerves. Yes, he had made the decision to share what he knew, but now faced with that reality, he hesitated. Once he said something, he couldn't take it back. After talking about the weather, school, work and anything else that came to mind, Wally realized his time was running out. Before he could change his mind, he took a deep breath and started his tale, from his initial misgivings regarding Dr. Thawne, to the security breach at the newspaper, to his trips to Topeka, to the suspicious activity at the warehouse, to the fire. He left nothing out.

A pair of concerned eyes watched him closely from across the table. "These are serious accusations you're making."

"I know…but…" Wally reached into his back pocket and withdrew a folded piece of paper. He slid it across the table.

"What is this?"

"Iris' interview notes."

"What?!"

"Her notes are the key. It started after he got her notes. I've tried to find a different reason, but nothing else explains it. I mean Dr. Thawne was already obsessed with the Flash before her interview, he already acted strange. Hell, the other research assistants and even some of the other researchers call him Dr. Zoom." Wally reached for the sugar dish and absently sorted the different sweetener packets first by color, then by various patterns. "His world is the Flash. He considers himself the world's foremost researcher on the Flash. Then came Iris' article. He became obsessed. He ranted she hadn't published everything. Then he somehow got her notes."

"Does he know that you know?"

"About Iris' notes? No."

"Do you think he hacked the newspaper's computer system?"

"No. He's not that adept with computers, but he knows people who are."

"Okay, let me rephrase. Do you think he's behind the hack?"

Wally pushed away the sugar dish. He hadn't considered that possibility, but how had Dr. Thawne gotten hold of Iris' notes? If the researcher were behind the computer hacking, it seemed to imply that Iris was in greater danger than Wally had imagined. He paled at the thought. "I…god, I hope not, but it makes sense. The coincidence is too much…and he wanted to know everything she does and everything he thinks she does."

"He doesn't know the two of you are related?"

"No." Wally noticed the raised eyebrow but chose to ignore it.

"Do you know if he contacted her in anyway?"

He shook his head. "If he did, Iris didn't say anything. And he never said anything to me."

"But he might not have told her who he was."

"True, but Iris will admit she gets some very strange calls, emails and letters. She calls it a job hazard. Not everyone is going to like or agree with what she writes." He shrugged. "She sometimes shares the really off-the-wall comments, but she received so much feedback from her interview. The media's response alone overwhelmed her. They hounded her for days. She complained about them, but nothing else. I'm guessing everything else paled in comparison." His nervous energy returned. He reached for his empty coffee cup and turned it in his hands.

"Do you think she's in any danger?"

"I don't know. I want to say no, but… I've listened to his rants. He's torn her to pieces, called her horrible names, questioned her intelligence, questioned her qualifications as a reporter… I don't think he'd hurt her, at least not physically. He would attack with words, though. But Iris can hold her own in any verbal battle." He needed to be completely honest. He hadn't just been following Dr. Thawne. He'd also been following Iris. Despite his words to the contrary, he was concerned. "I…I've been following her, too." He sensed the surprise.

"You do think she's in danger." The question had become a statement.

"I…" In frustration, he ran his hand through his hair. "I don't want them to meet."

"Why?"

Wally remained silent.

"Wally, why don't you tell him that you're related to the reporter who did the interview? What's the big deal? What could he do? Are you worried that he-"

"Because I want to protect her," he blurted out. Silence descended. He stared at the coffee cup unable to meet the gaze from across the table.

"You just said you didn't think he would hurt her. What are you trying to protect her from?"

"Guilt."

"Guilt?"

That hadn't been the initial reason he had followed her. He had followed her simply because his instinct had told him to do it. He had quickly realized Dr. Thawne didn't seem to have any interest in contacting Iris in person, or at least not yet. But Wally had wanted to be prepared for that eventuality, to prevent it from ever happening. Then, as he had watched Dr. Thawne's activities, his acts of precaution had turned into acts of protection. If Iris learned what her notes were being used for… Actually, it was no longer an "if." It had become a "when."

"If all of this is true, she'll blame herself. I know Iris. She still hasn't forgiven herself for what happened to me. But I lived. I might have a few quirks, but I lived. Five people didn't and who's to say there isn't more?" The Flash had asked her to keep the information off-the-record. She had to a point. If she had listened to his full request, none of this would be happening.

"Wally, you've told me everything that's happening, but you've never told me what you think he's actually doing. You think he killed those five people. Why? Why do you think he would do that? What do you think he did to them?"

He took a deep breath and shared his worst fear. "I think-"

* * *

><p>"-Thawne is trying to recreate the events that made the Flash," Hal finished. He watched his friend's back. As Hal had told the story, Barry had risen from the chair and stood the kitchen sink, staring out the window. Barry hadn't moved in minutes. "Based on what he had told me, it's what I guessed he was going to say, but I wanted him to admit it. He did."<p>

"Why did Wally talk to you?"

Of all the questions he had thought Barry would ask, this wasn't the first one he had anticipated hearing. Truth be told, Hal had been extremely surprised to receive Wally's call. He'd been worried when he had met Wally. The young man had looked extremely troubled. While Wally had nothing to feel guilty about, it was obvious he did. The question Barry had just asked was one he had asked Wally. "He wants to protect Iris. He wanted to tell you, but he was worried you'd slip into cop mode, and at the moment, he just needs a friend."

"And that's you?"

The hurt could be heard in Barry's voice. First Barry had been insecure about Iris, now he was insecure about Wally. What was it with this West family? How many times would he need to reassure Barry that he wasn't trying to nor did he intend to interfere with Barry's relationships with the West clan? "He knew I'd tell you. I'm more of an intermediary. Like I said, he wanted to tell you. He was just unsure of what your reaction would be."

Barry sighed and returned to the kitchen table. He sat down. "Why does Wally think Thawne is trying to recreate that accident? The article said 'freak accident.' It didn't say how it had happened."

It was the one part of Wally's story he had left out. While he had shared the newspaper security breach, he hadn't said what had been taken. He wanted to protect Barry, even though he knew that would be impossible. As Wally had noted, Iris' notes were the key. "But you told Iris."

"Not the specifics, but, yes, I admitted, off-the-record, that it was electrified chemicals."

He hated what he was about to do. He knew what Barry's reaction would be. It would be disbelief, just like his own reaction had been until Wally had shown him the evidence. Hal withdrew that evidence from the inside pocket of his jacket. He pushed the paper across the table.

"What's this?"

"The explanation." Hal watched as Barry unfolded the paper and started to read. He hated doing what he was doing, in much the same way it had been apparent Wally had hated giving him the notes as well.

"How could she?" whispered Barry. "I said 'off-the-record.'"

"She followed your wishes. She didn't print it."

Barry's eyes blazed. "That's not the point. She still kept notes. What the hell does off-the-record mean if she still kept notes?" Barry pushed the piece of paper away. "How could she do this?" he softly questioned. "I trusted her."

"Barry, she didn't break that trust."

"But she-"

"Kept notes. She didn't make the information public. She never even told you or Wally, the two most important people in her life." Hal sensed Barry wanted to argue. He understood. Unlike Barry, he hadn't been surprised to learn Iris had kept notes. It wasn't that he thought that she was deceitful, but rather that he wasn't as naïve as Barry. Iris was a reporter. A reporter was going to keep notes. She had honored her commitment. The information hadn't been made public. Instead, his disbelief had focused on the fact her notes had been hacked. When Wally had said the newspaper's computers had been hacked, Hal's mind hadn't even considered someone taking notes. Why would someone hack a computer system to steal reporters' notes? "If you confront her with this, you'll only raise her suspicions. Why would Barry Allen care that she had kept notes on her Flash interview? I'm sure she keeps notes on all of her interviews. What was so different about this one to make you interested? To make you upset? She'll start wondering. She's smart. Why would Barry Allen care about the Flash interview? Maybe he cares because he has some connection to the Flash."

"Damn it," Barry muttered, "damn this secret identity."

Once again, Hal wondered how much longer it would be until Barry told Iris the truth, and when that happened, Green Lantern's identity would become known as well. As he had said more than once, he didn't care. It was Barry's decision. He trusted Barry's judgment. "Wally admitted things were bad with Thawne after the interview, that the interview seemed to reinvigorate him. But things took an even stranger turn after the hacking. Given the hacking and Thawne getting Iris' notes happened in less than a day, I'd say he had something to do with the hack. Wally doesn't think he's capable of doing the hacking himself, but that he would know people who could do it."

Hal sighed when Barry remained silent. "Look, everything Wally's told me about this guy makes me question him. As much as I like and trust Wally, I want him to be wrong, but I don't think he is. Something is going on. Have the police found anything that would connect Thawne to that warehouse?"

"No. So far, the investigation is mainly focused on trying to identify the victims. They uncovered that the warehouse is owned by a shell corporation, not entirely uncommon. It does seem to be multiple shell corporations which does raise some suspicions of illegal activity, but they haven't uncovered any concrete proof yet. There've been no reports of suspicious activity in the area either."

"What about this Thawne guy?"

"His name hasn't come up."

"Did you know he was obsessed with the Flash?"

Barry nodded. "Wally told me."

"Did you know even if Wally hadn't said anything?"

"Yes, even though I hadn't thought about it for some time. Shortly after I became the Flash, I received a request from a researcher at STAR Labs to participate in a study to understand why I could do what I do. I said no. Any studies that needed to be done, I could do myself and I did." Hal raised an eyebrow at that comment. Barry ignored him and continued. "He continued to pester me. Eventually, I had a talk with STAR Labs. I never heard from him again. As I learned from Wally, his obsession continued."

"How did he contact you?" The League currently acted as a filter. Prior to the League, though, each hero was left to their own devices. Police departments became the de facto middle men, a role tolerated by some and not by others. Hal guessed in Barry's case it would be the police department. His guess was verified.

"Through the police department." Barry rubbed his hands against his face. "Wally's guesswork fits some of the evidence."

Even though Hal couldn't find any holes in Wally's logic, he had hoped Barry would. Instead, Barry's words sent a chill ran down his spine. Worse, Wally's logic matched the evidence. "Like what?"

"Of the five victims, the coroner determined they were all male. Four were burned beyond recognition. However, they had all been kneecapped in both knees. The fifth body had been protected from the flames. Like the others, he had been kneecapped in both knees. He had also been dead before the fire. There was no smoke or soot in his lungs. Yet, even though he had been protected from the fire, his body was covered in second, third and fourth degree burns. The coroner determined the burns were caused by chemicals and electricity. Given there was no evidence of soot or smoke in his lungs, yet there was evidence of soot in the burns, the burns had occurred prior to the fire." Barry paused. "The man had been tortured. The pain would have been unbearable. We are currently testing the other victims to see if we can find any indication of chemical or electrical burns. We're still awaiting the results."

Hal stared at Barry in disbelief. "Then what Wally said-"

"Could be completely true…but we have no proof. Whatever proof there may have been was lost in the fire. But like you said, it could also be a twisted coincidence."

Hal looked at Barry closely, evaluating his friend's words and actions. He didn't want to accept what he saw because it meant the worst case scenario may be the truth. "You don't believe that."

Barry sighed heavily. "No. It's too much coincidence. Besides, why else would they have been kneecapped?"

"So, what should we do?"

Barry rubbed his face. Hal noted his friend looked tired, looked as if a heavy weight were on his shoulders. "What you were doing. Investigate. See if we can lend any credence to Wally's speculations."

"And if we do?"

"Get the League involved."

Hal frowned. He did not look forward to seeing the smug look on Bruce's face. Actually, the cowl would hide most of Bruce's expression, but Hal knew it would be there. "What about Wally? Are you going to talk to him?"

"I don't know what I'd say."

"And Iris?"

"I realize I can't."

"Do you think Iris is in danger?"

Several seconds of silence passed. "He knows everything Iris does. Everything we talked about…well, almost everything…is in her notes. The only thing she left out was when I asked her if she was seeing anyone."

"According to Wally, Thawne doesn't believe that. He thinks Iris' notes aren't everything. That's she's holding something back."

"She isn't." Another pause. "Iris has been a reporter long enough to know how to handle the pushy types. There's protocol. She'll follow it."

Hal read between the lines. Barry was worried, but there was nothing he could do about it. Hal also wondered how likely it would be that Iris would follow protocol. Unlike Barry who would follow protocol no matter the circumstances, Hal believed Iris would do whatever fit her needs. In that sense, he suspected she was much more like himself than Barry. "Wally basically said the same thing, that Iris could hold her own in any verbal battle with Thawne. He didn't seem concerned that Thawne presented any other threat. Instead, he was worried about Iris feeling guilty."

Barry didn't ask why. Obviously, he knew Iris well enough to realize Wally's worries were legitimate. It seemed as if this conversation had aged Barry at least five years. "Barry, I'll dig around, ask for J'onn's help or something. Maybe it's better if you sit this one out. You're too close to it."

Barry only nodded. "Hal, what if what Wally suspects is true and what if it works?"

Hal frowned. "Barry, it was a freak accident. A one in a million event."

"There are six billion people on Earth."

"Fine. A one in a trillion event."

"Hal, we can't say it won't happen again. We don't even know why or how it happened to me. If it happened once…" Barry's voice trailed off.

The world could gain another speedster. Another Flash. The thought shouldn't have bothered him. There were no rules that there could only be one hero with any given ability or name. The Green Lantern Corps had 7,200 officers. Enough said. Yet, the thought of another speedster, or at least one created by anything but an accident bothered Hal. Maybe it was the way this Thawne was going about it. Or maybe it was just his instinct telling him that more of a good thing didn't necessarily result in something better.


	9. Chapter 9

These characters aren't mine.

A/N: This story is AU. See chapter 1 for more details.

* * *

><p>"Wallace!"<p>

Wally closed his eyes for a second and silently prayed for strength, patience and endurance. Each day was a challenge. No two days were ever alike. No two minutes were ever alike. The researcher's moods were mercurial. What Dr. Thawne wanted one day would result in a temper tantrum the next. So far today, Wally had managed to keep his head low and stay under Dr. Thawne's radar. Obviously, that had ended. He turned and faced his supervisor. "Yes, Dr. Thawne?"

"There's someone waiting in the lobby to see me. Go fetch her." The man turned and walked away before Wally had a chance to say anything.

Well, at least he didn't seem to be Dr. Thawne's target, or at least not at the moment. With a sigh, he pushed away from his desk and headed to the lobby. A visitor. Wally wondered who it could be. Dr. Thawne didn't have visitors. From what little Wally knew about the man, he didn't seem to have any friends or acquaintances. It wasn't too surprising. The researcher had the ability to suck the enjoyment out of any situation. He nitpicked every little detail. He belittled everyone. If Dr. Thawne wasn't happy, he ensured that no one else was either.

Once again, Wally wondered what progress, if any, Hal – or Barry for that matter – had made. A week had passed since he had talked to Hal. A week of waiting and wondering. He knew Hal had told Barry. First, Hal had promised he would. Second, Hal had called him after his talk with Barry. Unfortunately, Hal hadn't said what Barry planned to do with the information. Maybe they both thought he was crazy, but Wally didn't believe that was the case. As he had told the story to Hal, Wally had noticed the increasing look of worry on Hal's face. Hal hadn't dismissed Wally's logic, but who knew what Hal had thought after he had told Barry.

Hal had told Wally to see if he could uncover any other pieces of information, things that just didn't seem to fit. Wally wasn't quite sure what that meant. He was doing his best, but it was difficult to work around Dr. Thawne. Wally knew he needed to rifle through the man's office, but the man was always around, and even when he wasn't, Wally could never be certain when he would appear. Besides, he also had to keep watch on the researcher outside of STAR Labs. At least Wally hadn't caught him leading any more young men inside abandoned warehouses. Nor had he been sent on any more trips to the surplus store in Topeka. A part of him hoped it was a sign that Dr. Thawne had moved on. Then he couldn't monitor the researcher's activities 24/7. Dr. Thawne could be doing all the same things during those times Wally wasn't watching him.

He wished he knew what Barry thought. He had tried to contact Barry on numerous occasions, but had been unsuccessful so far. The mystery of the five bodies had swamped the police lab. Barry was working overtime. And when Barry wasn't working, he was with Iris. No way was Wally going to talk to Barry in front of or even within hearing distance of Iris. Iris didn't need to know. She'd find out eventually, but he'd do everything within his power to delay that knowledge as long as possible.

When he entered the lobby, only one person was waiting. A woman. A woman he would recognize anywhere. Even with her back to him, Wally knew his aunt. He desperately searched the lobby for someone else, anyone else. Perhaps Dr. Thawne's visitor had stepped into the restroom…or outside…or had left...because there was no reason for Iris to have requested to see Dr. Thawne. Despite his denials, his mind paused. Iris had been more focused on work than usual lately. It was a sign she was scoping out a story. It was always a roll of the dice as to whether Iris would share whatever her current investigation was. This time she had been quiet. Wally hadn't found it odd. It wasn't the first time she hadn't shared and it wouldn't be the last time. Now, though, he wondered if she had been quiet because her focus was his supervisor. But that made no sense. Why would Iris be interested in Dr. Thawne? Yes, Wally had vented enough about the man, but that shouldn't have piqued her interest. Even if it had, why would she have waited this long? He had been working at STAR Labs for several months. What had changed?

It had to be a simple coincidence. Someone else was here to see Dr. Thawne. Iris just happened to be in the lobby at the same time because… Why? If she needed to talk to him, Wally knew she would have called or emailed or sent a text. Iris would not stop by unexpectedly. Unless she wanted to take him out for lunch, but it wasn't near the lunch hour. Or unless there was some sort of emergency, but she didn't looked worried or scared or nervous.

She must have either heard him enter or sensed his presence, because she turned, a smile brightening her face. "Wally!"

He forced a smile. The acting surprised came naturally. "Iris, what are you doing here?"

"I have an interview with Dr. Thawne."

His blood chilled. She said it so matter-of-factly. He fought to keep his tone casual. "About what?"

"His research."

Wally's mind raced. The only thing Iris knew about Dr. Thawne's research was what little Wally had shared. That had been when he had first started at STAR. Then she had turned up her nose. What had made her change her mind? "But-"

Iris patted his arm. "Wally, I ran into him the night of the fire. He made some disparaging remarks about the Flash. I sensed a follow-up story to the Flash interview. I mean, as he informed me, he is the world's foremost Flash researcher." She did nothing to hide the disdain in her voice. "I figured I'd follow-up a bit more. So, here I am."

Iris had seen Dr. Thawne at the fire? Why hadn't she told him? How could she not have said something? Worse, the fact that Dr. Thawne and the fire could now be linked seemed to cast the fire and Dr. Thawne into an even more sinister light. Didn't arsonists typically hang out around the fires they set? Didn't they want to see what the reaction would be? Is that why he had been there? "Iris-"

"Wally, I know you don't like him. From my brief interaction with him, I agree. The man seems to be scum. But instinct tells me there's something more and I want to find out what that is."

Damn her instinct. It took all his strength not to argue with her, not to order her to leave – not that Iris would have listened. To his surprise, Wally also found himself wanting to tell her what he suspected, to share his suspicions and worries. If she wanted a story to investigate, he could give her a story. But what if something else had caused Iris to be suspicious? He didn't want to inadvertently make things any worse. Dr. Thawne had made a disparaging remark about the Flash. No matter how unlikely that seemed to be, Iris was focused on that. There was no reason to clue her into anything else.

She smiled. "So, are you going to take me to see him or are we going to chat in the lobby?"

He grinned self-consciously. "Sorry. Let's go. It's this way."

Iris patted his shoulder. "I'll tell you everything I learn over dinner tonight. You name the restaurant."

"That's okay. I have plans." He wished he hadn't seen the brief flash of hurt in her eyes. He wanted to reassure that he wasn't blowing her off, but technically he was. Now more than ever, he needed to keep watch on Dr. Thawne's activities. Now more than ever he needed to find something – anything – that seemed out of place so he could share it with Hal and Barry. Iris needed to lose interest. Without saying another word, he guided her to Dr. Thawne's office. Wally knocked on the door. "Dr. Thawne-"

Irritation crossed the man's face. "It took you long enough, Wallace."

"Sorry, sir. This is Iris West."

"Ah, Ms. West, we meet again." Dr. Thawne smiled broadly, standing up and coming to stand on the other side of his desk. He held out his hand. When Iris reached to shake it, Dr. Thawne clasped her hand firmly between both of his. Wally felt sick.

"Well, as I told you before, I'd like to learn more about your thoughts on the Flash and your research. Wally's only told me a little about it."

No, no, no, no, no… If only he could rewind time, take back Iris' words. Wally quickly glanced at his supervisor. Most people would think nothing had changed, but Wally knew the man. He had learned to recognize the subtle changes. Iris' innocent comment had caused the researcher to tense slightly and the corner of his mouth to twitch.

"Is that why it took you so long?" the man asked coolly.

"Um, no, sir."

"Of course not," Iris answered. "Wally was just surprised to see me."

The hole Iris was digging seemed to be getting deeper and deeper. Once again, his mind screamed 'No!' Once again, he found himself wanting to cart his aunt away as fast as humanly possible.

"You two know each other?"

"Of course, we know each other. He's my nephew." Damn. The cat was officially out of the bag.

"Ah, yes, now I remember. I can't believe that information slipped my mind." Wally tried not to squirm under his supervisor's icy glare. As soon as Iris left, Wally knew he was in for it. What the 'it' would be, he wasn't sure. Probably just an hour or so of Dr. Thawne ranting. "Please, have a seat, Ms. West. Wallace, you're dismissed."

He didn't want to leave her alone with the man, but what choice did he have? Wally nodded and left. Dr. Thawne closed the door behind him, the freeze remaining in the man's glare. Wally sat at his desk and tried not to stare at the door. If only he could hear what was being said. His mind came up with a thousand variations with relative ease. None of them were good. Barely fifteen minutes had passed, fifteen minutes that had felt like an eternity, when the door suddenly flew open and Iris stormed out. Her face revealed barely controlled rage.

He stood up quickly, concern in his voice. "Iris?"

"We'll talk later," she murmured between gritted teeth.

Wally watched her leave. Technically, someone was supposed to escort her back to the lobby. Instinct told him he was damned with whatever decision he made. He decided to stay. Dr. Thawne's wrath would be much greater than whatever Security or Human Resources tossed his way.

"Wallace. My office. Now." Wally stepped inside. "Shut the door." Definitely a bad sign. "Sit." He sat. Dr. Thawne stared at him in silence for nearly a minute. Wally felt as if he were a microbe under a microscope. He tried his best to sit still. Then the tirade began. He took the abuse in silence. Saying anything would only make matters worse. Better to sit quietly than argue. It was something he had learned many years ago. Who would have guessed that lesson would serve him now?

When the day finally ended and he returned to the apartment, Wally felt mentally exhausted. Dr. Thawne had torn him apart. For over an hour, he had questioned everything about Wally's self. He had questioned everything about Iris. He had said terrible things about both of them. Wally had taken it all in silence.

Wally knew he should have quit on the spot. Neither he nor Iris deserved the verbal abuse. And while he had worried initially about quitting and what that might do his future employment opportunities, those worries no longer bothered him. First, working with Dr. Thawne, even aside from the personality issues, had turned him off of any sort of theoretical work. If he remained a physicist, he wanted to work on practical applications. Yes, theory had its place, but he was not the person to do it. Second, if he wanted to work in the world of physics on a practical level, as much as he didn't want to use his grandpa, there was no better connection. Given his own academic performance and Ira's name recognition, Wally knew many doors would open. Most importantly, though, he found himself doubting if he even wanted to be a researcher. Teaching looked more appealing each day. He had given his physics degree a try. Perhaps it was time to focus on his education degree.

Despite those reasons, he hadn't quit. No matter what he felt about Dr. Thawne, he needed to keep an eye on the man. He needed to gather information for Hal to share with Barry. He needed to ensure Dr. Thawne didn't do whatever he had done to any more young men. The only way to accomplish those things was to remain Dr. Thawne's research assistant. He could man up and deal with Dr. Thawne for a while longer.

When he returned to the apartment, he discovered Iris waiting for him. She had tried to hide the fact by surrounding herself with stacks of paper and her laptop. But Wally had always known the subtle differences between Iris working and Iris only pretending to work. It had happened often when he was younger. "Wally, how are you…oh, no." She looked at him closely. "It was bad."

He forced a smile he didn't feel. Iris didn't need more worry. "It was what it was."

"Nonsense. That man is a pig. Calling him a man, calling him a person, is a compliment." She took his arm and guided him to the sofa. "What happened?"

"Iris, I really don't want to talk about it." It had been bad enough sitting through it once. The thought of having to relive it sent a shiver down his spine. Besides, he wasn't about to share what the man had said about Iris.

Concern filled Iris' eyes. "He didn't fire you, did he?"

"No." That would have actually been preferable, but Dr. Thawne was not about to make Wally's life any easier. The man had made that point abundantly clear.

"Wally-"

"Iris, please. It's done. It's over." He could tell she wasn't happy. Thankfully, she didn't push the issue. Instead, she changed directions.

"Why did the news that I'm your aunt cause such an issue?"

There was no way he was going to tell Iris the truth. She didn't need to know the researcher had been denigrating her for weeks. It would only increase her anger and dislike of the man. Not that it really mattered. But to avoid piquing Iris' curiosity for beyond its current level, he lied. "He doesn't like surprises. He talked about your Flash interview a couple times. I never mentioned that you're my aunt. He wasn't too happy to learn I knew the reporter who had interviewed the Flash and had never said anything." Wally shrugged, hoping he had sounded nonchalant.

She looked at him closely. For the second time in a day, he tried not to squirm. Just like when he knew she was hiding something, she could tell the same about him. They both knew each other too well. "There's more to that story, but I'll let it pass."

After a few seconds of silence, his questions tumbled out. "Why did you leave so quickly? What did he say? Why didn't you tell me you saw him at that fire? Why didn't you tell me you were investigating him? Why…" His voice trailed off in a mixture of frustration, confusion and disappointment. After what seemed like an eternity, she finally answered.

"As I said, the man's a pig. He insinuated that I slept with the Flash to get the interview." Wally stared at her in shock. Her storming out made perfect sense. No one – absolutely no one – insulted Iris' morals or ethics. It was rather amazing she hadn't fired back at him. This was the type of verbal showdown Iris lived for. "Now, I admit, others have said the same thing, but there was something in the way he said it that made my blood boil." Others? Who? And how did she know? Did they tell her to her face? Or had she guessed? And why would they say such a thing? "Rather than argue with him and make things worse for you, I figured I would leave. I had heard enough." She had left to protect him. Typical Iris. "Besides, I could tell he would never answer my questions truthfully."

She looked down at her hands before meeting his gaze. "As to the rest, I know I should have told you that I saw him that night. You deserved to know that. But you've been…preoccupied lately. Whatever's bothering you, you're keeping it to yourself. I don't know if it's me or Barry or Dr. Thawne or something else or all of the above. I didn't want to cause you more worry."

Once again, she sought to protect him. Guilt washed over him. He had thought he had been subtle. He should have known better. No one knew him as well as Iris did. "Iris, I-"

"Wally, don't. I didn't tell you that to make you feel guilty. You need your space as much as I need mine. It's just hard not to worry and wonder about you constantly…and then the more I learned about Dr. Thawne, the more questions that seemed to arise."

He shouldn't have been surprised to learn her curiosity had already been piqued. Her intuition had made her a successful reporter. "What did you find?" Wally listened as Iris revealed her investigation. As he already knew, STAR Labs recruited top researchers and paid them well. However, those big salaries came with high expectations. They were expected to win awards, publish papers, serve on prestigious committees, and speak at conferences. Dr. Thawne did none of that. His most recently published paper was over ten years old, and even then he hadn't been the lead researcher. None of this was news to Wally. The other research assistants had shared that information with him during his first week at STAR.

The rest of her words, though, were news. Iris had dug into his finances. His only debt was a modest mortgage. Yet, his savings didn't match his salary. His credit card bills and car didn't hint at an extravagant lifestyle. Where was the cash going? Wally felt a slight chill at her words. It explained the wad of cash Dr. Thawne had displayed after the Topeka trips.

From a criminal standpoint, he was clean. There was no criminal record. No misdemeanors or felonies. Not even a speeding ticket or unpaid parking ticket. Iris admitted she was still waiting for a call back from someone at Stanford University to discuss Dr. Thawne's brief career there.

"The amount of information you can learn about people scares me," Wally commented.

Iris smiled. "I have good contacts."

A major understatement. Iris had been truthful with him. Was it time for him to be truthful with her? Did he share what he knew? What he suspected? Was it significant that Iris' background check hadn't shown that Dr. Thawne had been leasing the warehouse that had gone up in flames? Or was it that the files had yet to be updated? Or that Dr. Thawne truly knew how to cover his tracks? As much as he wanted to tell her, he realized he couldn't. At least not yet. Maybe once Hal – or Barry – gave him a bit more feedback. "What did he say when you saw him at the fire?"

Iris shrugged. "He patronized the Flash, seemed to hint that the Flash wasn't human."

His mind recalled Iris mentioning Dr. Thawne had said some derogatory comments about the hero. It didn't make sense. Dr. Thawne worshipped the Flash. Why would he denigrate the Flash? Besides, if he didn't think the Flash was human, then why was he conducting – allegedly conducting – experiments on humans? Why was he trying to recreate something that would be impossible to recreate? Or was he just covering himself?

"He's determined I know more about the Flash than I do, that I didn't print everything. Obviously, I didn't. The Flash asked me to keep some things off the record and I did."

Wally held his tongue and wished Iris had truly kept it off the record.

"As I mentioned before, he also insinuated I slept with the Flash to get the interview, sort of a quid pro quo arrangement."

"I want to say I'm surprised, but I'm not."

"Me either. That man is…ugh." She shivered. "Anyway, then he went on to tell me I should be dating a real scientist, not the wannabe scientists employed by the likes of the police department."

"And?" A smile tugged at his lips. Wally knew Iris would never let that comment pass.

"I questioned his use of 'real' and 'wannabe' and asked where his Nobel Prize was."

The laughter felt good. While Iris' words explained the professor's extremely sour mood, it would have been priceless to see the expression on the man's face. He doubted his imagination could give it justice. "If he ever met grandpa, he'd be thoroughly unimpressed."

"True, but there are times I swear Dad's absentmindedness is only an act."

Wally had to agree. Ira had to be sharper than he appeared. No one as absentminded as his grandpa would have won a Nobel Prize or have passed some of the highest levels of security for the U.S. government. "So, where's all this leading? Are you going to write an article about Dr. Thawne?"

Iris shrugged. "Something's off. I'm going to dig a bit more, see if I can locate some former colleagues of his, get their opinions. If I can, I'll try to connect to someone at STAR or maybe one of my other contacts, see how he really got employed."

It was all typical Iris. Dig and see what she could uncover. While he wanted her to succeed in this venture, he could only imagine how unenjoyable his work environment at STAR would become if Iris was successful. Dr. Thawne would definitely not be happy and now that the professor realized he was related to Iris, things would only get worse.

She sensed his apprehension. "But before I do, I'll run it past you. I don't want to make things any worse for you than they already are. No article is worth that."

"Thanks, Iris."

"So, can I interest you in joining me and Barry for dinner?"

A half-smile appeared. "I wish I could, but I heard from my advisor today, he approved my dissertation topic."

"Wally, that's great!"

"Yeah, but it also means a lot of work if I want to balance school and work and still graduate on schedule."

"Say no more." She kissed his cheek. "I love you, kiddo. Don't ever forget that."

Wally watched her leave to get ready for her dinner with Barry. His stomach churned. Yet another lie. He hated lying to her. It was something he had hoped he would never have to do. Half-truths were bad enough, but this had been an outright lie. But the only other option was to tell Iris the truth and neither of them was ready for that yet. Besides, he had passed along a dissertation idea to his advisor, he just hadn't received any feedback yet.

From his pocket he withdrew a folded piece of paper. He unfolded it and stared at the two telephone numbers he had written on it. Gotham City area codes. Hal had said to look for anything that seemed out of place. Two telephone numbers with Gotham exchanges seemed to fit, especially when one number was to a lounge and the other required an access code. A glance down the hallway showed Iris' bedroom door was still closed. He took out his cell phone and placed a quick call to Coast City.

* * *

><p>Hal rubbed his temples. He felt the beginnings of a headache. How – why – had he allowed himself to get dragged into this mess? Yet another call from Wally. Why wasn't Wally calling Barry? Why wasn't Barry being the responsive one? Why was he – Hal – stuck in the middle? He sighed. In the scheme of things, it probably was better that he was in the middle because things were going from bad to worse. While the definition of level-headed usually included a picture of Barry, that level-headedness seemed to disappear when it came to the Wests. Given the recent complications, Hal knew he would be more capable of dealing with those complications and keeping a healthier perspective than Barry ever would. Who would have ever thought that would be the case?<p>

His mind weighed what to do next. Call Barry? It needed to be done, but immediately? It could wait. It would probably be better if he did wait until he had more time to consider what Wally had said. Then again, he didn't need to consider what Wally had said, he needed to investigate it. But investigate on his own? He knew his limitations. Even if he went to the Watchtower, he wasn't a trained investigator. His mind didn't work that way. Big clues, no problem, but the little nuances often threw him and he knew the little nuances would be the key in this situation. So, that left asking either Bruce or J'onn for help. They were the league's number one and number two investigators, respectively. Clark was probably also an option. He had the whole investigative reporter thing going for him, but in this situation, Hal suspected Clark would have difficulty keeping perspective, just like Barry. Truthfully, J'onn didn't feel like the right one to ask for help either. As much as he hated to admit it, this situation called for Bruce.

Perhaps he could avoid the Bat and contact Dick or Tim or even Barbara instead. They were Bat-approved. They were trained investigators. More importantly, they were much easier to work with than Bruce. But what were the odds they would actually help without contacting Bruce first? Dick would be his best bet. Dick might not ask for Bruce's blessing up front, but Hal knew Dick would eventually tell Bruce, and probably sooner rather than later…or Bruce would figure it out on his own. Hal shook his head. The damn Bat had way too much control.

Hal stared at the two numbers he had scribbled down. He had told Wally to look for any suspicious information. Honestly, he hadn't thought Wally would find anything. But Wally had. Two telephone numbers that seemed out of place. Both had Gotham City area codes. One connected with the Iceberg Lounge. The other had requested an access code. Wally had been uncertain if either number was important, but considering Thawne had no apparent ties to Gotham City, he had decided to pass along the information.

Sadly, Hal could start to connect the dots. Even without Bruce's help, he could make intuitive jumps. The Iceberg Lounge was owned and operated by Oswald Cobblepot, aka the Penguin. The man had his fingers in numerous questionable activities. If someone wanted to get in touch with the Gotham underworld, the Penguin was the quickest way to go.

Like Wally, Hal had tried the other number. He, too, had been stopped by the required access code. A Gotham City area code. Bruce would have the resources to uncover who the number would reach. Hell, he might already know. Contacting Bruce, though, meant admitting something was going on. It would only feed the man's obscene paranoia. At least it wasn't directly tied to Iris. It was a small consolation. If he contacted Bruce, should he ask Barry's permission first? Barry should know. It could probably be argued that Barry had a right to know. But given Barry's irrationality when it came to the Wests and Barry's temper when it came to Bruce's paranoia about Iris, Hal doubted anything good could happen from talking to Barry. Contacting Bruce would be solely his decision…and was truly his only option. He'd ask for Barry's forgiveness later.

That left the question of how to contact Bruce. Directly? Indirectly? In-person? Via email? When had his life become so complicated? It should be a simple question to answer, but Hal had been around long enough to know it wasn't. Nothing was ever easy when it came to Bruce. Maybe J'onn was the better choice, but given the potential Gotham connection, J'onn would probably contact Bruce anyway. Why add another middle man to the equation?

With a thought, he willed on his costume and flew to Gotham City. Eight o'clock in Gotham on a week night. It wasn't fully dark yet, too early for the Bat to be out and about. There was the possibility of some social event, but the odds had to be on his side at some point.

Showing up unannounced was never a good thing. It basically guaranteed an irritated Bat. Then again, Bruce seemed to be irritated by everything Hal said and did. It would just be business as usual. At least he was conscientious enough to use the Cave entrance and not the front door.

"What do you want, Jordan." Hal found Bruce hunched over a microscope. He wore the costume, but the cowl was off.

"I had expected a bit more of a hassle with your security system."

"I turned it off when you passed Tennessee."

Hal frowned. "But-"

"The computer plotted your trajectory. It appeared almost certain you were headed here."

He had been tracked since Tennessee? His frown deepened. No, that didn't seem right. Bruce almost made it sound as if he had tracked Hal from the moment he had left his apartment. If that was true, it was wrong on so many different levels. "How did-"

"I added a program to the last satellite Wayne Tech launched."

Once again, Bruce seemed oblivious to the entire issue of boundaries. If Ollie were here, he'd be ranting about Big Brother and everything else. Hal wasn't Ollie. He didn't like knowing that Bruce was capable of tracking him. And if Bruce were able to track him, Bruce was able to track everyone else as well. He'd make sure to mention it at the next League meeting, not that he expected anything to be done about it. There'd be the usual discussion of how it wasn't proper, that everyone needed to trust each other, but in the end, nothing would be done. Besides, it was all an issue for another day. He needed to focus on the present. "I was hoping you'd be able to track a phone number for me." Bruce stared at him with a mixture of disbelief and disdain. "I have two numbers with Gotham area codes. One is for the Iceberg Lounge. The other requires an access code."

Bruce frowned. At least it appeared as if he had the other's man attention. Hal handed him the slip of paper. "Where did you get these?"

"It doesn't matter."

"It does if you want my help."

Hal was not about to be intimidated. "You recognize that second number." Bruce remained silent. Hal ignored him. "Damn. I was hoping you'd blow it off, that they weren't connected."

"I didn't say they were. Where did you get them?"

He ignored the question. "The first call was to Penguin's haunt. The second call was to the other number. Two additional calls were placed to that second number." Wally had done a great job in tracking down the information. Once he had stumbled on the telephone numbers, Wally had checked Thawne's telephone logs. As Wally had explained, the STAR Labs telephone system remembered the last twenty numbers dialed. Neither number had been dialed on Thawne's office phone. According to Wally, the man made and received very few calls. The log had been almost two months old.

From there, Wally had somehow gotten hold of Thawne's cell phone. Hal had not been happy to learn that bit of information. Thawne was proving to be dangerous, or at least capable of being dangerous. Wally needed to be careful. Hal had said as much. Wally had ignored him and given him the two numbers and the dates. The only thing the cell phone hadn't recorded was the length of the calls. All four phone calls had been placed over three day period.

"Jordan."

Bruce was growing impatient. Hal sighed and mentally willed away his mask. "They might be connected to a case in Central City."

"Why do you have them?"

The implication was clear. Why was Green Lantern interested in a case from Central City? Where was the Flash? "It's complicated."

"Uncomplicate it for me."

Hal hesitated. He had known Bruce would demand an explanation. He had known he would have to tell Bruce the whole story. But admitting it in his head and admitting it out loud were two very different things. In his head, he could control the conversation. In reality, he hadn't been in control since he had left Coast City. He needed Bruce's help. It was as simple as that. "Wally West thinks that his supervisor, Malcolm Thawne, is trying to recreate the events that caused Barry to become the Flash. Barry knows. I told him."

Several seconds passed in silence. "The second number is one of the contact lines for the Calculator. He assigns different access codes. It allows him to know who's calling before he answers."

The Calculator. Noah Kuttler. The man was an information broker. He acted as the middle man for criminals. He was also a computer whiz. The last call had been placed on the same day the newspaper had been hacked. The second call had been placed the day before. It couldn't have been a coincidence. "Damn."

"Not the answer you wanted."

"No." With a deep breath, he told Bruce the rest of the story. Bruce listened in silence, never asking a single question until Hal had finished.

"Have you run a background check on this Thawne?"

"Just a quick one. No warrants for his arrest. No previous convictions. Not that I expected to find any. I doubt he'd be working for STAR Labs if he had any criminal history. Wally's experience proved that." If he were expecting any sort of reaction from Bruce, he would have been disappointed. Hal had known Bruce too many years to know that any digs would be ignored.

Instead, Bruce walked over to the computer and sat down. Hal followed. Bruce's fingers flew across the keyboard. Within seconds, a picture of Dr. Malcolm Thawne appeared on the oversized screen as well as a brief summary. Hal stared in surprise. Okay, he shouldn't have been surprised. This _was_ Bruce. But it again caused Hal to wonder how far the man was digging into their lives. Did Bruce have any boundaries or was everything fair game? And why would he have completed a background check on this researcher? Why did Bruce seem as obsessed with the West family as Barry was? At least Barry had a reason. What reason did Bruce have? There was no way in hell Bruce could honestly think that Thawne was a threat to secret identities.

Bruce seemed to read his mind. "If there's a chance it could affect our lives, I take an interest. This is a researcher interested in the Flash. Someone needed to monitor him."

Hal sighed. Arguing would be pointless. Besides, how well was Bruce monitoring this guy? Obviously he wasn't aware of Thawne's more recent activities."

"I was only watching for his published papers. If someone proposed a theory on anything related to the Flash, particularly once that might be close to the truth, or if there was anything suspicious in his background, we needed to know."

"And?"

"For the most part, he seemed a nonstarter. As you already know, he has no criminal record. However, there are some peculiarities. He doesn't fit the profile of a typical STAR Labs researcher. They are prolific authors. He hasn't had a published paper in over ten years. He did recently submit two papers, both of which were rejected by peer review committees. Given his absence of publishing, the two recent papers are out of character. STAR researchers also have a tendency to keep the patent office busy. He has no registered patents either solo or in partnership with someone else."

"What did he write about?"

"Speed. Both of the papers proposed a theory on how the Flash gained his powers. Being bathed in chemicals and struck by lightning were not mentioned as possibilities."

A chill ran down his spine. Those words hit too close to home. "What did he propose?"

"He did tie it to an accident. He theorized radiation from an accident at the nuclear power plant outside of Central City. The timing works to a point. There was a small accident at the plant about two months before Barry had his accident. However, the investigation revealed no radiation leaks. While the threat had been real, the precautionary measures had worked as they should have. The threat was neutralized."

"And you didn't tell Barry because…"

"The papers were rejected. For both papers, the reviewers agreed they were better suited for a tabloid than a peer-reviewed journal." Ouch. The reviews must have been a huge blow to Thawne's ego. "Flash's interview was published two days after his second rejection."

What were the odds? "That would explain his obsession with the interview."

"And why he would hire someone to hack the newspaper. No one would even listen to his theory. He believes he has a right to know how the Flash became the Flash. He wants to be the one who reveals how the Flash got his powers."

Hal was dumbfounded. He had expected more of an argument. He hadn't expected Bruce agreeing this readily because that meant Wally had been correct, and just like with Barry, Hal had hoped to hear a counterargument. "You believe that?"

"You don't?"

"No, I do. I was just hoping that you of all people would tell me I'm crazy."

"Not this time."

Hal overlooked the jibe. He rubbed his hand over his face. What to do now? All their evidence against Thawne was anecdotal. They had no hard proof. It meant more investigating. More surveillance. "Do you think Wally or Iris is in danger?"

"Wally needs to be careful, but I doubt Thawne would actually harm him. He's too connected to Wally. If something happened to Wally, Thawne would be one of the prime suspects. Even if he were proven innocent, that could jeopardize his employment at STAR Labs. STAR Labs is his best chance of ever meeting the Flash."

"And Iris?"

"I'd make sure she's never alone with him."

His words made Hal pause. "You think he'd hurt her?"

"From what I know and from how you and Barry have described her, she would challenge him. In a debate, she'd win. He may have the doctorate, but she is intelligent and quick-witted. If that were to happen, he would feel the need to prove his superiority over her. If he couldn't beat her intellectually, he'd beat her physically."

Bruce's words sounded strangely like fact. What else did the man know? "Do you have proof?"

"No, but I know his type. He needs to feel superior and he'll fight to preserve that superiority any way he can. Tell Barry – tell Wally – tell both of them – to discourage Iris from being alone with him, and hope their paths never cross."

"It's too late for that. They've already met and from what Wally told me, Iris is determined there's a story behind the man. She's already digging."

"She needs to be discouraged."

"Discouraging her will only fuel her interest."

"Then distract her. Have Flash give her another interview. Give her an interview with Green Lantern." Bruce paused. "Hal, from what you've told me, from what I know about people like Thawne, he's going to be monitoring the police investigation into the fire and deaths as closely as he can. If the police aren't releasing information, he'll find other ways to get the information. He's already proven that he's capable of doing just that. Worse, if he's paranoid, which he likely is, he could have Kuttler or someone else monitoring his background, keeping a lookout for any unusual activity. If you and Barry and Iris are investigating, it could cause red flags to get raised. Kuttler is very good. He'll track down the source. Barry can hide behind the police department, but Iris can't do the same with the newspaper. Thawne will know it's her. He already knows she's interested. She needs to be careful."

"But you just-"

"No one will ever know I looked. If Barry had used the League's system, it would have gone unnoticed as well."

Hal purposefully ignored Bruce's use of the past tense and what it all implied. He couldn't ignore Bruce's words of caution, though. The man knew evil. He knew it and understood it better than most people. "I'll talk to Barry." It was all he could do. He'd just have to hope for the best.


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: These characters aren't mine.

A/N: This story is AU. See Chapter 1 for more details.

* * *

><p>Iris discreetly studied the man she was interviewing. Despite the familiar blue eyes, smile and tone of voice, seeing him up close for the second time, noting the way the costume clung to his body, it was hard to believe that Barry Allen was the Flash. She knew Barry intimately, yet her eyes were having difficulty accepting that the man she slept with was the same man standing in front of her. The costume left little to the imagination. Every muscle was clearly defined. Maybe the costume made him appear more buff than he truly was because the body outlined by the costume did not completely match the body of the man she loved. Barry was just…well, he was trim, but he definitely was not this toned. Or was it simply that Barry seemed to slouch and the Flash didn't? Could that account for the difference? Could it be the clothes? None of it seemed to add up, yet, she knew – knew without a shadow of a doubt – that Barry was the Flash. Maybe it truly was the slouch…<p>

Like her first interview with him, this one, too, had been a surprise. Once again, he had whisked her away from the crowd. This time, she had known to keep her eyes open. Not that it had helped that much. The images had remained a blur, but at least she hadn't felt as dizzy or nauseous. Still, her perspective was completely skewed. While she knew they were still in Central City, she had no idea as to where. "Does one ever get used to that?" she asked, patting down her hair. He looked at her quizzically. "Okay, do mere mortals ever get used to that?" she clarified with a smile. "Maybe we'll have to do it more often so I can." He returned the smile.

"Well, I'm guessing you didn't spirit me away to have your way with me." She inwardly smiled as Barry flushed. "So, I assume this is to be a second interview, but I have to ask – why me? Why not a different reporter?"

He shrugged. "You did a great job with the first one. I thought you might have some more questions you'd like to ask me."

The one thing she knew about Barry was that the man could not tell a lie. He was honest to a fault. Fabricating truth was not one of his talents. It was an enviable quality, one she knew she didn't have. Yet, at the moment, she would have sworn he was prevaricating. But if he was, why? "Well, I guess I should be flattered, but don't you think your girlfriend might get jealous to know that you had a private interview with the same attractive reporter twice?"

Another smile. "She's not the jealous type."

Technically, it was the truth. She wasn't the jealous type. But she didn't feel like making life easy on Barry. "Even if I do this?" Iris stood on her tiptoes and kissed him directly on the mouth. She had to remind herself she was playing a role, but Barry made it more difficult when his hands went to her waist. The kiss lasted longer than it should have. She was the one who ended it. "Well?"

Barry appeared flustered. "Don't you have a boyfriend?"

"He's not the jealous type," she echoed. It was the truth, but not the complete truth. Barry wasn't jealous; he was insecure. Why he was insecure was unknown. The man was the Flash, a hero. What did he have to feel insecure about? "Besides, there was more than one rumor after our first interview that I slept with you to get the interview."

"What?!"

She had purposefully not shared that little tidbit of information with Barry previously. Telling Wally had been bad enough. Seeing Wally's reaction had reaffirmed her decision to not tell Barry. But now? Well, technically, she was interviewing the Flash, not Barry. So, technically, she still hadn't told Barry. Besides, it was the perfect way to test him. If Barry said anything to her or asked any questions, he would be admitting he was the world's fastest man alive. "Jealous colleagues."

"I'm sorry."

The compassion and understanding in his voice and eyes almost caused her to come clean and reveal that she knew Barry was the Flash. Almost. "Yeah, well, it's part of the game."

"I hope you mean the rumors."

Her irritation flashed. "Of course! You don't think-" Iris forced herself to pause and take a deep breath. She was playing a part. Likewise, Barry was also playing a part. He had to be. He knew her well enough to know she'd never do any such thing. "Sorry. Sorry about the kiss, too… Guess I can't really complain about the rumors. Most rumors seem to have an ounce of truth, and that kiss, well…I shouldn't have. Again, sorry." Why had she kissed him? What had she been thinking? That was the problem. She hadn't been. If she had hoped to ruffle his feathers, it hadn't worked…or at least not enough for him to come clean.

"We can share the blame. You surprised me, but I should have stopped."

"Yeah, well, I guess we should get started with the interview." They covered the basics of his most recent activities quickly. Iris moved the interview back to old ground. "So, last time, you had mentioned Green Lantern was the first hero you had met. Who was next?"

He smiled at the memory. "Superman, even though Batman was there, too."

"How'd you meet?"

"Superman was trying to kill Green Lantern and Batman. Green Lantern contacted me for help." Iris looked at him with growing admiration as he retold the story of when they – the group of heroes that would become known as the Justice League – had confronted Darkseid. It was after that confrontation that the world's view towards superheroes had turned.

"So, even then you and Green Lantern were friends?"

He chuckled. "I don't know if I would have called us friends at that point. We had worked together once. Honestly, I didn't really like him at first. He was bold, loud, forward, obnoxious. I soon realized it was an act, or at least mostly an act. There're still times when he's a bit too much for me. I think he needs to slow down. Overall, though, he's a good guy."

Barry had just described Hal perfectly. Not that she needed it, but now she had additional confirmation that Hal was the Green Lantern. "The fastest man alive telling someone to slow down? Seems like an oxymoron."

"I suppose it is."

Iris wondered if Barry realized how much he had let his guard down. It was time to remind him of who she was. "So, how much of this was on-the-record and how much was off?"

"Well, I haven't shared any deep, dark secrets."

"True. But do you want Green Lantern to know what you think of him?"

"He already knows. Just like I know what he thinks of me."

"Oh?"

"He thinks I'm a bit too naïve, innocent. He gets a little frustrated at times when I insist we follow procedure. He'd rather jump from the beginning to the end without all the messy stuff in the middle. I like to see what might be in the mess."

"Why is that?" Iris already had a fairly good guess, but she wanted to hear Barry voice it.

"It's probably due to my day job."

"You have a job outside of being the Flash?"

"Yep."

"Do all the heroes?"

"For the most part."

"And what is your day job?"

He smiled. "Sorry."

"Not even a little hint?"

"No."

"Not even off-the-record?"

"No."

She forced herself to look disappointed. "Well, then, moving on, have you told your girlfriend yet?"

"No."

"You still don't trust her?"

"It's not a matter of trust. I trust her. I love her. But I don't want to put her in danger."

"You say you love her and trust her, but your actions say otherwise. If you truly did, you'd tell her." Why did she feel guilty making him feel guilty? There was no doubt in her heart or mind that Barry loved her, but when it came to trust… Well, if he truly trusted her, he would have shared his secret. Then again, did people ever really share all of their secrets with others? It seemed unlikely. She certainly didn't. But not telling her he was the Flash was very different from not telling her about some stupid thing he may have done in high school or college. The Flash was a major part of his life. It wasn't a one-time thing or some small quirky thing he did on occasion.

He stared at his hands. "Do you have any other questions for me?"

The implication was clear. He wasn't going to answer any more questions about his girlfriend. "I still think you should tell her."

"Noted."

Iris sighed. The interview hadn't given her too much new information. Despite his relaxed posture, he was still very guarded. She understood, but it was frustrating. She was ready to suggest they wrap it up when a thought came to her. Did he know Dr. Thawne? Given her continuing investigation into the researcher, perhaps she could see how much Barry knew about the man. She couldn't exactly ask Barry about him in a normal setting. Why would a police scientist have any reason to know about a STAR Labs scientist? But the Flash? The Flash should know, particularly since Dr. Thawne believed he was the world's foremost researcher on the Flash. "Do you know a Dr. Malcolm Thawne?" As nonchalant as Barry tried to act, Iris noted the tension in his body increased. It was an interesting reaction. Why would the mention of Dr. Thawne cause him to tense? Her instincts told her she had just struck gold. "He's a researcher at STAR Labs. He considers himself the world's foremost researcher on the Flash."

Barry smiled, even though the smile didn't reach his eyes. "I can say for certain that that's not the case."

"But do you know him? Or of him? Has he ever contacted you?"

"Yes."

Barry wasn't going to make this easy. Iris couldn't help but wonder why. "Yes what? You know him? He contacted you?"

"Both."

"And?"

"There's not much to tell. He contacted me. He wanted to study what I could do. I said no. End of story." Once again, Barry proved he couldn't lie. His body language alone displayed how uncomfortable he was with this line of questioning. "Why are you interested in him?"

Iris had to give him credit for turning the question back on her. She shrugged. "My nephew works as his research assistant. My nephew's pretty laid back. He's one of those people who can get along with anybody, or at least anybody except Dr. Thawne. And after meeting the researcher, I can fully understand why. The man is a piece of work. He's one of them who accused me of sleeping with you to get the interview. Based on what my nephew's told me and after meeting him, something seemed off. So, I've been digging around a bit. Since he has an unparalleled interest in the Flash, I thought I'd ask you about him."

Barry remained silent. Iris inwardly sighed. She wasn't going to reveal everything, but maybe if she said a bit more, Barry would share whatever he knew. "I've done some digging into his background. Things don't add up. Nothing big jumps out, but a lot of little things seem off. And my instinct tells me something's there. Did you pick up on anything?"

Barry continued to remain silent. She decided to keep talking about it. The tactic worked at times. Usually the other person would start talking to just shut her up. Hopefully it would work this time. "He doesn't seem the type who would have left you alone, or at least stopped contacting you after one try. He definitely seems like he'd be persistent. Maybe even to the point of it being considered harassment. Or at least he left me with that impression. Did you pick up on that?"

This time Barry sighed. "You aren't going to drop this, are you?"

She smiled sweetly. "Reporter. No."

Barry ran his hand over his face. "Yes, he's very persistent. Yes, it probably could be considered harassment. Iris, just like your reporter instincts are telling you something more is there, I have that same feeling. For that reason, I really think you should drop your investigation of him."

"What? You've got to be kidding. If there's something there-"

"I understand. You sense a story. You want to pursue it. My hunch – my instinct – agrees, but it also tells me this man could be dangerous. I don't have any proof of that, but I know his type. Please, drop this."

"Are you investigating him? Monitoring his activities?"

"No."

If Barry were concerned, why wasn't he investigating – or at the bare minimum monitoring – this guy? If there were concerns, it would seem as if Barry – or rather the Flash – should be doing more. "Then-"

"Miss West, please." He looked away briefly. "I should get you back. Where would you like to be dropped off?"

The interview was officially over. She hadn't expected the mention of Dr. Thawne to effectively shut Barry down. What did he know? If anything, Barry's lack of cooperation supported her instinct that there was definitely something going on. Could it be that that something involved Barry? That possibility seemed unlikely. Barry would have been unable to maintain that charade. It simply wasn't in his character.

"Same place as last time," she replied. The return to Barry's house was done in silence. He gave her the briefest of smiles before he ran off. Iris sighed. The interview hadn't ended in a good way. Barry was upset. God only knew why. She had no more information regarding Dr. Thawne. At least she could get another Flash story and make her editor happy.

With her laptop at the apartment, she used Barry's computer to type up her notes and start sketching out the article. It wouldn't be like her first article. There wouldn't be the background interviews with survivors. There wouldn't be the facts on the number of lives saved or criminals incarcerated. Nor would there be the facts on the level of property damage or the number of lives lost. The public had already gotten those facts. This time it would be a simple interview with the Flash providing a bit more information about who he was.

As usual, she lost track of time. When the hands fell on her shoulders, she jumped in surprise. "Barry! What are you-" she quickly glanced at the computer's clock. It wasn't even four o'clock yet. "What are you doing here already?"

He smiled. "Such a warm and happy greeting to see me."

Iris smiled self-consciously. "Sorry. I'm thrilled to see you, just a little surprised. You usually work until at least five thirty."

"Well, I have to go back."

She looked at him quizzically. "Oh? Then why did you come home early? Is something wrong?"

He ignored her questions. "You were completely engrossed in your work. Hot scoop?"

She decided to overlook the fact he hadn't answered her questions. Something was bothering him. Intuition told her it was the interview. "Surprise, surprise, another interview with the Flash."

"That's good." Barry paused. "He's the reason I'm here."

Iris froze. Could it be? Was Barry going to come clean? "Oh?" She strove to keep her tone casual.

"He talked to me. It was after your interview with him."

Iris felt her hopes disappear. The charade was to continue. "Really? Why?"

"He's worried about you. Actually, he's worried about a story you're working on. He told me he asked you to drop it. I guess he didn't trust you because he asked me to ask you to do the same. Something about Dr. Thawne. I'm guessing this is the same Thawne as Wally's supervisor."

"It's nothing."

"Obviously the Flash doesn't think so."

Iris bit back her snarky comeback. She wanted to snap "and obviously you don't either." If Barry wasn't about to admit the truth, neither was she and that comment would make him realize everything she knew. "I'd give him more credit if he would have given me a reason to drop it. He didn't do that."

"Iris, Wally talked to me – and to Hal – about Thawne."

"He what?" The words surprised her. Wally had confided in Barry – and Hal – before confiding in her? What was going on? While she was pleased to learn Wally felt comfortable enough opening up to Barry, it still stun. It actually hurt to know Wally felt safer telling Hal something – a man he barely knew – than her. What was going on?

"Wally has some suspicions about Thawne."

"Like what?"

"It's not my place to say. It should come from Wally, not me."

Her temper rose. He was not about to hide behind Wally. "Barry, don't you dare-"

"Wally has suspicions. He didn't talk to you about them because he was worried your reporter instinct would kick in and override any common sense."

"That's low."

"But true."

Iris glared at him. Yes, technically, it was true. But she was a reporter. If there was a story, she was going to undercover it. She turned her attention back the computer. She saved her files and logged off her work account. "Go back to work, Barry, because I'm going home."

"Iris-"

She smiled coldly at him. "No. Keep your damn little secrets. Use Wally as an excuse. Fine. But next time you see the Flash, tell him his little gambit didn't work. He only made me more suspicious. Obviously DR. Thawne is hiding something and I intend to find out what it is." Grabbing her purse, she stormed out of the house. Once outside, she realized she had no means of returning to her apartment. Her car was in the parking ramp near the newspaper office. She wasn't about to ask Barry for ride. Instead, she dug in her purse for her cell phone and started to walk down the sidewalk.

"Iris-"

"Go to hell, Barry."

"Damn it, Iris, stop being so stubborn."

She turned on her heel and faced him. "Hey, Wally, I'm at Gleason Park. Long story short, I need a ride. Think you can pick me up? Thanks. See you soon."

* * *

><p>Wally sat in his truck and stared at the apartment building. He wanted to go inside. He wanted to go inside, crash on the couch, and lose himself watching mundane afternoon talk shows. It was a great plan. It would help him forget what he had done…at least for a couple hours. Only one catch. He could see the patio door was open. That meant Iris was working from home. That meant no peace and quiet. She'd immediately sense something was wrong and want to talk about it. Why was it when it affected him, she had to talk it out. However, whenever the tables were reversed, she'd usually shut him out.<p>

That scenario had happened only two days earlier. She and Barry had gotten into some sort of disagreement. Whatever it was about, Iris was angry. She refused to answer or return any calls from Barry. She deleted his emails and texts without reading them. When Barry had come to the apartment, she had forbid Wally from letting Barry inside. When Barry had sent flowers, she had told Wally to give them to Mrs. Kosinski, the eighty-year-old widow down the hall.

Wally had tried to ask her what was going on. She had only smiled and said Barry was being an ass. Considering that was all she called him, Wally had known whatever the spat was about, it would blow over. Iris just needed time. The amount of time was the real question. Two days had passed and she was showing no signs of being over it. Wally had shared all this with Barry. He had told Barry to hang tough, that Iris would come around. Yet, when he had tried to get Barry to tell him what had happened, Barry had clammed up as well. Perhaps it was a good thing. Did he really want to get caught between them?

The disagreement resulted in Iris being moody and untalkative. As a result, he hadn't known about her second interview with the Flash. Nor had he known when the article would be published. To his surprise, it had been the lead story on the front page of the morning newspaper. Immediately he had known what would happen when he arrived at STAR Labs. He hadn't been disappointed. Wally hadn't even had the time to log onto the computer network before Dr. Thawne had called – or rather ordered – him into his office.

Once inside, Dr. Thawne had shut the door and pointed to the article. Without hesitation, the snide remarks had begun. Unlike all the other times, though, Wally had had enough. He had finally done what he should have done weeks earlier. He had quit. The researcher had barely warmed up when Wally had made his announcement. It had silenced the other man. Wally had used the silence to clarify that his resignation was effective immediately. As Wally had stood to leave, Dr. Thawne had started again, threatening Wally's future career, questioning his intelligence, and remarking on a host of other topics. Even though the words had hit their mark, Wally had forced himself to appear unaffected and walked out, tossing his identification card and building access card until Dr. Thawne's desk.

By the time he had reached his truck, he had been shaking. It had taken almost two minutes to calm his breathing. Calming his nerves was another story. At first he had tried a walk along the riverfront. That hadn't worked. He had tried clearing his mind and people watching from a coffee shop. That hadn't worked either. He had contemplated calling Iris – or even Barry – but given the current status or their relationship, it hadn't seemed like the best of ideas. He had even thought about calling Hal, but that just seemed too over the top. Hal was Iris' boyfriend's best friend. While Wally liked Hal, he doubted their relationship was ready for this level. Besides, he had already pushed Hal far enough with his worries about Dr. Thawne.

That had left his grandpa. Sure, there were other friends, but of them, there were none he trusted enough to bare his soul. To his surprise, his grandpa had been the right choice. Ira West had listened to his grandson's story and had then reassured Wally not to worry. There were times when Wally would have sworn Ira's absentmindedness was all an act. This had definitely been one of those times.

Realizing he couldn't delay the inevitable, he climbed out of the truck. To try to control the situation, he decided to go on the offensive. He really didn't think it would work. This _was_ Iris. But it was worth a shot. Entering the apartment, he found Iris seated at the kitchen table working on her laptop. "Hey, Iris, I thought you'd be swamped at work, booking all those interviews, making plans to go to New York. Hey, maybe this time you could do Leno or Letterman."

"Ha, ha. I did go in, but it was…distracting so I came home. The messages and all that can wait until tomorrow."

"I was surprised to see the article. You never said anything about a second interview. That must have been exciting." He realized he had failed to keep the disappointment out of his voice. Even if he had, Iris would have read between the lines.

"Yeah, well, I'm sorry about that. I should have shared the good news, but this thing with Barry… The timing was just bad. It's kept me preoccupied."

"You going to forgive him any time soon?"

"I will. I just don't know when yet."

"Well, that's good because he's a bit unsure and unsettled about it all." The understatement of the year. It had taken almost thirty minutes of constantly reassuring Barry that Iris hadn't broken off the relationship, that she just needed time to work through whatever had happened.

"Serves him right." Based on that comment, Wally guessed Barry would be sweating it out at least three more days. "So, what are you doing home early?"

"Well, I finally did it. I quit."

"What?" Surprise filled her face.

He forced a smile. "You called him a pig. He was at his best this morning. I didn't feel like listening to it anymore. So I quit."

"Wally, I'm sorry. I completely forgot about how Dr. Thawne might react to that article. I've just been, well…my mind's been elsewhere, but that's really no excuse. It was that bad?"

"I quit before he said too much. He had a few words to say about that as well."

"How're you doing?"

"Better. It took awhile for me to calm down. But, are you ready for the surprise of the century?" Iris nodded. "I have grandpa to thank," he admitted.

"You talked to dad?" He had surprised her twice in one day. First by quitting and now by admitting he had talked to his grandpa. It was truly a record.

"Yeah. It was…it was a bit surreal to be honest. We talked about school, physics, whatnot. It's amazing how with it he was. I even accused him of the whole absentminded professor act."

Iris smiled. "What did he say?"

"He only gave me this blank smile, but his eyes twinkled." Iris laughed. "Anyway, he stressed that I should finish my degree, even if I decide not to stay in physics. I already planned to do that. It'd be stupid to stop when the end is in sight. He also said he had some ideas if I needed any help finding a topic for my dissertation." Wally paused. "He talked about you a bit, too. He sees a future with you and Barry together." Wally glanced at Iris out of the corner of his eye for her reaction. In his mind, and obviously his grandpa's as well, Barry and Iris were a match, current disagreement aside. Iris maintained an air of indifference about the matter. Wally had yet to ask Barry, but based on Barry's worry about the current status of his relationship with Iris, Wally assumed Barry had begun thinking long term.

"Yes, well, did he have any other words of wisdom for you?"

So much for Iris providing any insight into her feelings. "Nah, once grandpa realized I was on to his act, he stepped it up a notch. It was an Oscar winning performance." The man had suddenly been forgetting almost everything. It had been both amusing and annoying.

Iris laughed again. "An Oscar would look good alongside the Nobel Prize." Her face turned serious. "I'm glad you won't have to deal with Dr. Thawne anymore. I'm guessing he's the reason you haven't been yourself these past weeks." So much for hoping Iris hadn't noticed. "Don't look so surprised. Of course, I knew something was up. You should know you can pull one over on me. I figured you'd tell me whenever you felt ready. But speaking of the devil, knowing what you did explains his mood a bit more."

The implication behind her words sent a chill down his spine. "You saw Dr. Thawne today?"

Iris nodded. "He's another reason why I came home. Yes, first was to escape the hullabaloo about the interview. Then there was the fact that the newspaper was hacked again. Can you believe it? You'd think they would have installed a better firewall after that last time. This time, the hackers didn't stop with work files. They also took payroll information. Everyone's been cautioned to be extra vigilant about their personal information. The paper's going to pay for twelve months of identity monitoring for everyone. The hacker also planted some sort of bug in the computer system. The network went down and didn't show any signs of being quickly fixed. My options were to stay and chitchat with my coworkers, field phone calls and all that other nonsense, or come home and work. I chose the latter option. As I was leaving, I ran into Dr. Thawne in the lobby. Security ushered him out pretty quickly."

A knot of fear settled in his stomach. "What did he do?" If security had gotten involved, it must have been bad.

"His usual. Accused me of withholding information, made some disgusting allusions toward what I did to show my thankfulness to the Flash, etc."

She wasn't telling him everything. Worse, it was his fault. If he hadn't quit, Dr. Thawne probably wouldn't have done what he had done. He wouldn't have gone to the newspaper. He would have taken out his frustrations on Wally. Still, not quitting wouldn't have prevented the hacking. That had happened because of Iris' article. The coincidence cemented his belief that Dr. Thawne was involved. "I'm sorry."

"Wally, it's not your fault. The man has some serious issues. After security got rid of him, my boss was alerted. I told him what had happened. I also shared what I had learned about the man so far. My boss was going to contact STAR. He ordered me to go home for the rest of the day. He even made security escort me to my car. That seemed a little over the top, but I realized arguing with him about that would have been pointless.

"Did you tell Barry?"

"No, and I don't plan to either."

"Iris-"

"Wally, no. Don't go there."

"Sorry, Iris, but I have to." Her face showed her confusion. The time of truth had arrived. He only wished the circumstances were different. While he knew Iris would believe him, he was unsure of what her reaction to the information might be. Taking a deep breath, he told the tale. "Dr. Thawne…I think he's responsible for the deaths of those men at the warehouse fire." Iris listened to his story without interruption. As the words spilled out, it felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Telling Hal had helped, but Hal was just…Hal. Telling Iris was completely different. It was a difference he simply couldn't describe.

"Why didn't you tell me this before?" she asked when he had finished.

"I wanted to protect you. I knew you wouldn't leave it alone. I knew you would start digging. In the end, though, it didn't really matter."

"Because I got myself involved on my own."

Wally nodded. "I thought telling Hal and Barry would help. I mean I know it sounds naïve, but I had thought that since Barry works for the police department and all, that there'd be some strings he could pull, that he could somehow point the detectives in Dr. Thawne's direction."

"I'm sure he's doing their best."

"Yeah, I know. But to show how truly twisted all of this has become, I'm actually mad at the Flash for granting you another interview. That just riled up Dr. Thawne again. Not that things were great or fixed or whatever, but they had at least stagnated for the time-being." Wally glanced at Iris. She appeared lost in thought. "Iris?"

She smiled. "Well, I guess it's time I call Barry."

Wally felt confused. Why did his story about Dr. Thawne make Iris want to talk to Barry but Iris' own confrontation with the man didn't? It didn't add up. "I don't understand."

"When I interviewed the Flash, I asked him about Dr. Thawne. I mean, surely the Flash would know something about the world's foremost researcher on the Flash. I can't believe Dr. Thawne would have never tried to contact the Flash. But the Flash didn't tell me anything. Instead he told me to drop my investigation. That just made me more curious. Why would the Flash care? But to make matters even worse, the Flash contacted Barry and told him to tell me to drop it."

"That's what you've been fighting about?"

"Partly. I was more angry that Barry used you as an excuse for not telling me."

"But I told him not to."

"I know that now, but at the time, it seemed like a convenient excuse. But it does seem a little strange that I got a second interview with the Flash, especially if Barry and Hal knew all of this."

Once again he felt confused. "What does Barry and Hal knowing have to do with you getting another interview with the Flash?"

Iris smiled. "Well, you haven't been the only holding onto a secret."

A knock sounded on the door. "I'll get it," Wally said. His mind was whirling as to what Iris might be about to tell him. He couldn't find a plausible way to connect Barry, Hal and the Flash. Glancing out the peephole, he saw another bouquet of flowers. "Well, it appears Barry is still asking your forgiveness. Maybe this time you'll keep the flowers," he said as he opened the door.

"Hello, Wallace." Wally froze and stared in surprise at Dr. Thawne. The baseball cap, clothes and flowers had been a perfect disguise. Wally hadn't recognized the man. "I finally realized you're the key. Iris will tell me whatever I want to know, do whatever I want her to do, if your life is in the balance."

Wally moved to slam the door. In his peripheral vision, he noticed something in Dr. Thawne's hand. When it touched his arm, the world as he knew it was turned upside down. His mind barely registered it was a stun gun as the voltage raced through his body. He fell to the floor unable to move.

"Wally?! What's-"

"Hello, Iris."

* * *

><p>AN: The story about the Flash meeting Superman and Batman for the first time occurs in the DCnU. For more information, see the TPB Justice League: Origin (the New 52).


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: These characters aren't mine.

A/N: This story is AU. See Chapter 1 for more details.

* * *

><p>Hal looked through the window into the Watchtower's medical bay. Inside laid Wally West. At the moment he was blessedly unconscious thanks to J'onn. Hal had made the initial mistake of taking Wally to a hospital. Time had been of the essence. Wally had needed immediate medical attention, or so Hal had thought. Looking back, he shouldn't have taken Wally to the hospital. He should have surmised what the outcome would be. But things always appeared clearer in hindsight. At that moment, he had been operating on adrenaline.<p>

Thankfully, he had thought far enough ahead to disguise Wally's identity. He had even had the foresight to contact the League and give them a heads-up regarding the situation. Getting the League involved had meant getting Bruce involved, but Hal hadn't been able to think of a way to avoid it. He still couldn't. Besides, no matter how much he and Barry had wanted to keep their growing concerns surrounding the safety of the Wests under the radar, things had gone too far. They needed the League's involvement. They needed the League's help.

With the "Flash" being admitted to a hospital, the League had issued a carefully worded statement noting the Flash had been involved in an accident that required medical care. The League had also noted that Central and Keystone City would be watched over by the Justice League until the Flash was able to return to active duty. The goal had been to dissuade the Rogues or anyone else from taking advantage of the Flash's absence. So far, it seemed to be working.

Wally's injuries had been extensive. Both of the man's knees were bloody messes. Both knees had been shot out. Even if they had been spared the gunshots, they would have been damaged by whatever had crushed his legs. The cause of that damage was unknown, but Wally's legs were a jigsaw puzzle. His body had had numerous other injuries as well, but they had paled in comparison to the damage done to his legs.

The extent of his injuries had been a surprise. Iris had stated that Wally was hurt. She had mentioned his knees, but not his legs. Whether she hadn't known or hadn't realized was a moot point. Hal had also been surprised to discover that Wally was fully conscious. Pain or shock should have rendered him unconscious. Looking back, he should have immediately realized what that consciousness had meant. He hadn't. Its significance hadn't hit him until he had noticed the speed at which Wally's body was healing itself. At that moment, everything had become clear. There had been only one logical conclusion – Wally's suspicions about Thawne had been correct and for better or for worse, it had appeared that Thawne had finally succeeded in his attempts to replicate the accident. A quick scan with his ring had confirmed it. Wally's skin had had traces of numerous chemicals.

It had been tempting to question Wally, especially since he was conscious. But it would also have been a pointless endeavor. Speed may have kept him conscious, but it didn't negate either the pain or the shock. Instead, Hal had made the executive decision to disguise Wally as the Flash, take him to the hospital, and deal with the ramifications later.

While he had had the foresight to disguise Wally's identity, he hadn't fully considered a cowl might not have been enough. Upon arriving at the hospital, the staff had immediately made a move to remove the cowl for "medical purposes." Hal had stopped them, but he had belatedly realized he couldn't fully trust them. The staff would be constantly changing. The temptation to remove the cowl – whether to see the face behind the mask or for truly medical reasons – would be too great. Relying on Wally to say no or try to stop them would have been too much to ask. Besides, staying had allowed him to provide some moral support for Wally. The young man was experiencing hell. To make him face it alone had seemed unnecessarily cruel considering the next news Hal had had to share.

Everyone – the medical staff and Wally – had listened as Hal had given them a crash course on a little known fact of the Flash's abilities – speed healing. Speed healing was both a blessing and a curse. Just because the body healed quickly didn't mean that it healed correctly. It also rendered anesthesia and pain medications ineffective. Everyone had learned in stunned silence that Wally – or rather the Flash – would have to undergo surgery fully conscious. When Hal had finished talking, the medical staff had seemed unsure of what to do. Wally had ended their uncertainty and had told them to "do it." With those two words, Hal's respect for the young man had grown.

The doctors had done their best, but after two hours, they had given up. There was simply nothing they could do. Wally's body was healing too fast. As soon as the doctors would make an incision, Wally's body would start to heal the incision. It was an endless battle in which the doctors were losing. Ending the surgery hadn't been the only bad news. Before they had even left the operating room, the chief of surgery had entered and noted that while the hospital's mission was to provide comprehensive and compassionate care, the hospital also had to guard the safety of its patients and staff. For that reason, the chief had asked Hal if there was somewhere else he could take the Flash. Even though it had been tempting to argue, to try to reassure them that the Justice League of America would ensure the hospital's safety, Hal had been fairly certain that reassurance would have been ignored. Besides, it had been obvious that as much as they had wanted to help, there was nothing the medical staff could do.

"He's facing a very long recovery. Even if we find a way to slow down his metabolism, there's a good chance he may never walk or stand again unassisted."

Hal startled at the voice. Bruce stood next to him. Hal hadn't heard the other man approach, but that was nothing new. The fog caused by his contemplation of Wally's situation disappeared and the meaning behind Bruce's words registered. Even though it was news Hal didn't want to hear, it wasn't surprising. Given the doctors failure at helping Wally, he had asked Kyle to review the Corps' medical records in hopes of finding something from the Corps' long history that could help Wally. Kyle's initial search had turned up nothing, but Hal had asked the fellow Lantern to look deeper. The thought of telling Wally, Iris and Barry that there was nothing that could be done was simply not an option.

"She kept asking us why he had let her go," Hal admitted softly. In a soft voice so very untypical of her, Iris had shared the basic facts of what Thawne had done. More than once her voice had hitched. More than once she had wiped away a tear. Her calm demeanor had cracked in the end. Iris had tearfully look at him and Barry and asked why Thawne had let her go. She had repeated the question again and again as the sobs finally came. It was a question neither of them could answer. That wasn't the only question that remained unanswered. Some Iris may be able to answer, others Wally might. Only Thawne would be able to answer all of them, but his whereabouts were unknown.

"He wanted to hurt her."

"He already had." Iris looked as if she had gone a few rounds in a boxing ring. Thankfully, she had not had any serious injuries. The worst injury was a broken wrist. Two cuts had required stitches. The rest were numerous bruises. Iris had refused any medical treatment at first. Her concern had been focused solely on her nephew. Only after she had received reassurance that Wally had been found and was receiving treatment did she allow Barry to take her to the hospital.

As impossible as it seemed, the nightmare had actually gotten worse. Barry had immediately become a suspect. The hospital had called the police. Iris' pleas that Barry hadn't hurt her had fallen on deaf ears. Barry had had to deal with intense questioning from two detectives. Barry had shared that, at the end of the session, the detectives had told him that they didn't believe he had done anything, but a report would still need to be filed with Internal Affairs. Barry was placed on administrative leave until Internal Affairs completed their investigation.

"He wanted to hurt her emotionally. He no doubt knew she and Wally were close. He played on her guilt. He'd let her live, but she would live in guilt the rest of her life for what happened to Wally."

"Then why didn't he kill Wally?" It was a question only Thawne could answer, yet Hal still voiced it.

"I'm guessing he planned to kill him, but something else happened."

Hal looked more closely at Bruce. "What did you find?" Despite his long list of misgivings about Bruce, Hal couldn't deny the man's investigative skills. Hal had found he didn't have the strength to return to the abandoned factory to search for clues on where Thawne might have gone and evidence on what had happened. Besides, sifting through evidence was not one of his strengths. With Barry preoccupied with Iris, Hal had turned to Bruce for help.

Bruce started with the obvious. He had found chemicals and equipment that could be presumed to have been used to recreate the accident that had given Barry his powers. He had also identified three separate sources of blood. He had confirmed Wally and Iris were two of the sources. Thawne was the likely candidate for the third. He had also located a stun gun, a shotgun, and spent shells.

As Bruce talked, Hal stared at Wally. Apart from three sources of blood, none of this was new or unexpected. The three sources of blood raised the question of how successful Iris and Wally had been able to fight their captor. They had lost in the end, but had they managed to injure Thawne in a way that would require medical attention? With everything they knew so far, the fight would have needed to come from Iris since in her own words Wally had been at first incapacitated by the stun gun and then physically restrained.

When Bruce paused, Hal glanced at him. Bruce held out a file. Hal hadn't even noticed Bruce had been holding something. With a questioning look, he took the file. He waited for Bruce to explain before opening the file.

"Papers related to Wally's childhood. Police reports. Newspaper articles. Reports from social workers, psychologists. He obviously had the Calculator looking into more than just the newspaper's files."

Hal briefly glanced at the papers, but closed the file before any of the words could have meaning. It felt wrong to read them. It was too much personal information into Wally's life. "Did you…?"

"Just enough to see what they were."

While Hal questioned Bruce's tactics on numerous occasions, the man did follow a strict moral code. At least there appeared to be some lines he wouldn't cross. "So, you weren't guessing when you said he left her go to torture her."

"No. The papers are well-thumbed. He had this information for some time."

Hal handed the back to Bruce. He didn't want it. Nor did he want to be responsible for it. "But why?"

"To prove his dominance. For whatever reason, he must have felt threatened by Wally. It could be that Wally didn't treat Thawne with the reverence and awe Thawne felt he deserved. It could be that Thawne felt threatened by Wally's intellect. It could be that Thawne felt threatened by the fact Wally's grandfather won a Nobel prize. It could be a long list of rational and irrational explanations."

"And learning Wally was related to the woman who had interviewed the Flash…"

"It wouldn't have helped matters. He would have been angry that Wally hadn't been honest with him. He would have been angry that Wally hadn't shared information regarding the Flash. To discover she interviewed the Flash not once, but twice, would have only worsened matters."

"Do you think that second interview was the trigger?" Hal desperately hoped that wasn't the case. Barry had given the interview in hopes of diffusing Iris' interest in Thawne. No one had anticipated the interview could act as a trigger for Thawne to go over the edge.

"Only Thawne can tell us."

Hal wiped his hand over his face. It all seemed so unreal, so twisted. It seemed easier to accept when the bad guys were just trying to take over the world. Yet, Bruce dealt with this type of criminal on a daily basis. "So, this was all to get back at Wally?"

"And Iris. Because after learning Thawne was the premier researcher on the Flash, Iris still didn't share with him what he believed she knew. It might even have been to get even with the Flash. Since the Flash wouldn't work with him, he would go after the reporter whom he believed the Flash had told everything."

"But…" His head was spinning. "If he wanted to hurt Iris, why not kill Wally in front of her? If he wanted to hurt Barry, why not kill both of them?"

"Hal, whatever his reasons, no matter how irrational they seem to us, they were rational to him."

Hal stared at Wally's unmoving form. "Did you find anything else?" He needed to move beyond trying to understand Thawne's twisted logic.

"Traces of tachyon particles."

He looked sharply at Bruce. Tachyon particles. Their presence could be viewed as significant. Obviously Bruce viewed their presence as significant. "You can't possibly think time travel is involved. There's nothing to indicate Thawne had any knowledge of time travel – or even any interest in it. Besides, current technology isn't there yet." However, just because current technology wasn't there, didn't mean that time travel was impossible. Booster Gold and Abra Kadabra's presence proved the technology would exist in the future.

"I agree, but that still leaves the presence of tachyon particles. We also can't overlook the fact that Thawne worked for STAR Labs."

"I've never heard of them working on any time travel projects."

"Neither have I, but that doesn't mean they aren't. I'll see if I can find anything, but we need to question Wally sooner rather than later. He might be able to provide some answers."

He didn't like the thought of Bruce questioning Wally. If Bruce were in charge, the questioning would be more like an interrogation. Hal made a mental note to ask J'onn to alert him as soon as Wally regained consciousness. He'd stay close to ensure that he was present for any questioning. "Was there anything else?"

"Nothing significant, at least for now. That may change once we have a better understanding of what happened. We also need to question Iris again. She's had time to rest. The shock will have started to wear off. Given her profession, given what you and Barry have said about her, she's obviously sharp and observant. She most likely saw more than she realizes."

Just like he didn't like the thought of Bruce questioning Wally, he also didn't like the thought of Bruce questioning Iris. Barry wouldn't like that option either. "I'll talk to Barry." Hal was sure Barry would find a way to delay that questioning as long as possible. Likewise, they'd find a way to ensure he and Barry did the questioning, that Bruce was not involved whatsoever.

"All of this raises a larger issue – how are you and Barry explaining the League's involvement?"

He did a quick mental check on when he had last charged his ring. It had been several hours ago, but he hadn't used it much and he was still within the 24-hour limit. Its charge would be near full which was good because Bruce was not going to react well. "It doesn't need to be explained. She knows."

Bruce froze. "What?!" he hissed, his voice low.

"She knows. She knows Barry's the Flash. She knows I'm Green Lantern." Of everything Hal had shared with the League, this was the one item he had purposefully overlooked. It wasn't important, at least not compared to everything else. He had also known that Bruce was going to overreact.

"You told her?!"

"That's the irony. She already knew. When she called Barry, she said she needed the Flash and Green Lantern's help. When Barry started to hedge, she showed her hand." Hal shrugged.

"And how did she find out?"

"I don't know. With everything that's happened, asking her how she knew wasn't a high priority."

"It should have been."

Hal frowned. "No. Ensuring Iris was okay was a priority. Ensuring Wally was okay was a priority. Finding a way to help Wally is a priority. Finding Thawne is a priority. Asking how she figured out Barry is the Flash and I'm Green Lantern is not." Bruce's demeanor had turned decidedly cold. Hal's demeanor mimicked Bruce's. "She's not a threat."

"And if she told Thawne?"

"She didn't. She wouldn't."

"You're sure about that? That man beat her. He tortured her nephew. I'm guessing she would have done or said anything to make it all stop."

"Even if she did, which I know she didn't, it's my problem. It's Barry's problem. It's not yours."

"Yes, it is. The sanctity of the League has been breached."

"Get off your damn high horse! It has not-"

"Gentlemen." The voice was firm. Hal and Bruce turned to see J'onn standing in the hallway. "Is there a problem?"

Bruce turned and walked away. Hal pinched the bridge of his nose. Nothing was ever easy when it came to Bruce. After everything Iris and Wally had been through, after the previous disagreements they had had regarding League security, it seemed unreal that Bruce still viewed Iris as a security threat. At least Barry hadn't been present to hear the conversation. Bruce's comments would have pushed Barry over the edge. Hal honestly didn't know if he would have stopped Barry or if he would have let the speedster go after the Bat. It would have been a difficult decision.

"Hal?"

He sighed. "Iris West knows who Barry and I are. Bruce thinks League security is at stake."

"And you disagree."

Hal only nodded.

"But, she was kidnapped. She and her nephew were badly beaten. Don't you think if she thought that information might help her or her nephew that she would have shared it?"

That was the sticking point. If it were just her own welfare, Hal believed Iris would remain silent. But would she do the same if she had a chance to help Wally? He didn't know. He didn't know her well enough. He doubted if Barry even did. Iris and Wally were close. Would she do anything within her power to help Wally or was there a line she wouldn't cross? "I don't know," he admitted. "I want to say no, but I just don't know. But even if she did, it doesn't mean the League's security is at risk."

"You and Bruce are going to always disagree on this topic."

"Don't tell me you're taking his side? How can you-"

"I'm not taking anyone's side," J'onn clarified. "Both of you have valid points. The next step is to question Iris. How did she learn who you and Barry were? I take it that Barry did not tell her." Hal nodded. "Then you and Barry need to talk to her. How did she learn your identities? Who has she shared that information with? Did she tell her nephew?"

"I don't think she told Wally. Wally didn't act as if he knew me, and I didn't tell him. I figured he had enough shock for one day."

J'onn nodded. "Then Wally needs to be told. Given the circumstances, that knowledge should give him some reassurance that there's a familiar face – a friend – here."

"I know, and I'll tell him soon." Hal glanced at Wally's unmoving form again. If only telling Wally that he was Green Lantern would actually do more. For one of the few times in his life, he felt completely useless.

* * *

><p>"Get out. Please," he added as an afterthought.<p>

"Wally, we know you're not telling us everything. We need to know everything that happened, even if it seems completely trivial."

"Hal, just leave me alone."

"Wal-"

"GL, let's go," stated J'onn, his hand on Hal's shoulder.

Wally thought a silent thank-you as J'onn guided Hal from the room. When the door shut and he was alone, he gave in to his frustration, anger and even fear. He grabbed the plastic cup from the stand next to the bed and threw it against the wall. It helped. Soon, everything that had been on the tray – which wasn't much – lay on the floor. While his anger had faded, the frustration and fear remained.

Tears filled his eyes. Why hadn't Dr. Thawne just killed him? It would have made things easier. He wouldn't be stuck in a living hell, unable to walk, unable to stand, living in constant pain. If it weren't for J'onn, the pain would be unbearable. It left him breathless. He could actually feel the pain impulses traveling up his spine to his brain. When the impulses arrived, it took all of his energy and concentration to not scream. With J'onn's help, it was mostly just a constant dull ache, even though a sharper pain managed to break through every now and then.

He looked for his cell phone. Even though Hal had told him the phone wouldn't work on the Watchtower, Wally had insisted. Even if it didn't work, it at least provided the illusion of communication, that he could contact Iris. At the moment, the need to call Iris was overwhelming. He needed to vent. He needed someone who would listen. If he tried to call her…well, he could try to fool himself into believing that she was busy and unable to take his call, rather than the truth that the Justice League was blocking the call. When he couldn't locate the phone, he glanced at the debris scattered across the floor. His eyes spotted the remnants of his cell phone. He couldn't hold back the tears.

Three days. Three days since his world had been turned upside down. It felt like three years. Time crawled by. He never would have guessed how much time existed between the ticks of a second. It had allowed him to think about everything that had happened. The kidnapping. The experiment. The aftermath. The aftermath was proving to be worse than the kidnapping itself.

He was a speedster. Even before Hal had placed the Flash's cowl over his head, Wally had known. He had known what Dr. Thawne had planned to do to him as soon as he had awakened and found himself restrained. He had expected to die a horrible, painful death. Rather than suffering severe chemical burns, he had simply gotten wet. Rather than suffering severe electrical burns, it had only felt like a tickle. At first, he had thought Dr. Thawne had done something wrong. By Dr. Thawne's reaction, the man had thought the same. Yet, the result hadn't changed after the second or third time.

Hal's move to disguise his identity had been the final confirmation. Listening to Hal explain what it all meant to the hospital staff had been depressing. It had made him realize how much he didn't know about the Flash's abilities.

Overall, he still hadn't decided if becoming a speedster was a good thing or a bad thing. If they couldn't fix his legs, if he could never walk again, well, being a speedster would be a bit pointless. But even if his legs healed, he didn't know what he would do. Did he want to be a hero? Was he hero material? He honestly didn't know. Did being a speedster mean he had to become a hero and wear a costume? Did he have a choice?

Becoming a speedster hadn't been the only surprise. Instead, it had been the first of several. The next one had been to learn that Hal Jordan was Green Lantern, or at least one of Earth's Green Lanterns. It had been a pleasant surprise. He couldn't believe he had never made the connection previously. The similarities seemed so obvious now that he knew. Apart from the mask, Hal didn't do anything else to disguise his identity. He didn't alter the tone of his voice or his mannerisms. Nothing.

Learning Hal was Green Lantern paled in comparison to the shock he had felt when Hal had shared the news that Barry was the Flash. For all the similarities Hal and Green Lantern shared, Barry and the Flash seemed to share none. Unlike Hal's costume, Barry's costume included a cowl that hid the man's hair color and downplayed the facial similarities. Yet, it seemed as if there should be something – anything – that would hint the two men were one and the same. Wally had stared at a picture of the Flash in hopes of finding that something. It had been an unsuccessful endeavor. Yet, in his heart, he knew it was the truth. It explained everything. The oddities of Barry and Hal's friendship disappeared when their secret identities were added to the mix.

It was also impressive – and a bit disheartening – to discover that Iris had known. The fact Iris had figured it out didn't completely surprise Wally. Iris had continued to have her suspicions about Barry and Hal's friendship. That had meant she was always looking for any clue, no matter how slight. However, it had hurt – more than he wanted to admit – that she hadn't told him. Wally never would have guessed Iris had been keeping a secret this big. Then again, Iris would have never guessed that there was something, apart from his childhood, that he wasn't telling her. In the end, he had told her his suspicions about Dr. Thawne. In his heart he believed that Iris had been about to tell him the truth as well. Dr. Thawne had just prevented that from occurring.

Not surprisingly, the Justice League wanted to know everything that had happened. Iris had given them a basic overview, but she hadn't provided in-depth answers. Hal had admitted that he and Barry would be questioning her again. But questioning Iris wouldn't be enough. She couldn't tell them what had happened when she had gone for help. Only Wally – and Dr. Thawne if they could locate him – could answer those questions. There was just one problem. Wally didn't want to answer those questions. Answering those questions would force him to relive what had happened. He wasn't ready to do that. He didn't know if he would ever be ready. Predictably, the League hadn't understood that little fact and didn't want to wait. It had quickly become a sore spot between him and Hal.

J'onn's presence had also set him on edge. Wally found himself wondering why J'onn was there. Would J'onn read his mind? Force him to tell the truth? J'onn had sensed his unease and had tried to reassure him. It had only made Wally more suspicious. Had J'onn sensed his unease by reading his mind? Or just by looking at him?

Maybe things would have gone better if only Hal had been present. Hal had known Wally didn't want to answer any questions. Wally had told him just that more than once. Yet, Hal had persisted. Even then, Wally had mistakenly hoped that Hal would only ask easy questions. Instead, it had seemed as if Hal had been working from a script. Or maybe J'onn had been planting them in Hal's mind. Either way, the questions were focused. A vague answer only resulted in more probing questions.

Despite his actions and words to the contrary, Wally did plan on telling the League what had happened. Wally had explained that he needed to wrap his mind around everything first. Once he got past the denial and moved on to acceptance, he'd answer their questions…maybe not all of their questions, but definitely most of them. Until then, he wasn't going to talk. It was as simple as that.

He also desperately needed to talk to Iris. He needed her insight, her comfort, into dealing with everything. Yet, for some twisted reason related to security, he was prohibited from communicating with her. No phone. No email. No instant messaging. Nothing. Why she was viewed as a security threat was beyond his comprehension. He'd be happy just to hear the sound of her voice. Was that really too much to ask? Was that really a security risk?

No matter the reasons he gave, the questions had been unending. Why did he think Thawne had taken him and Iris? What did Thawne want to know? Why had Thawne shot out his knees? Why did he think the experiment had worked? Did he know what Thawne had done differently? Why did he think Thawne had let Iris go? What had crushed his legs? What had happened to Thawne? Did he have any guesses as to where Thawne may have gone? For each question, his answer had been either "no" or "I don't know." In some instances, it had been obvious he was lying but Wally frankly hadn't cared.

Only one question had made him pause – why had tachyon particles been found? It had taken all his skills to keep his expression blank. He shouldn't have been surprised they had uncovered tachyon particles. This _was_ the Justice League. They were professionals. They were experts. However, it was also a kidnapping case. Why would they have been using equipment that could identify the presence of tachyon particles? Was this standard operating procedure? Or was something else going on? He wished he knew. He wished he could ask that question without it being viewed as suspicious.

Their discovery of tachyon particles complicated matters. It was the one part of the story that he had planned to keep to himself. Now that was no longer an option. Worse, he couldn't play stupid and pretend to not understand the significance of those particles. He was going for a doctorate in physics. They'd know he was lying.

Like many of his previous answers, he had simply stated "I don't know." This time, though, there were no follow-up questions. Instead, Hal's gaze had only narrowed.

In the end, he wondered if he should have gone on the offensive, fired questions at them, demanded answers from them. Maybe it would have made them pause. Maybe it would have avoided most of their questions. If Iris had been present, it's what she would have done. At times he wished he were more like his aunt.

Wally stared at the mess on the floor. He wondered how much time would pass before they would question him again. No doubt J'onn and Hal would be debriefed. They'd probably devise a new strategy on how to handle him. Would that strategy include Barry? Would they try to play good cop-bad cop? Would they promise him a visit or call from Iris? Would they threaten him with J'onn stopping whatever he was doing to lessen the pain? Would there be other threats? This was the Justice League and Batman was a member. No doubt they had many tricks for getting whatever information they deemed necessary to know.

A knock on the door disrupted his thoughts. He desperately hoped it wasn't Hal. He didn't want to see the Green Lantern again anytime soon. "Yeah?"

The door opened. The Flash – Barry – stepped inside. His gaze immediately went to the mess on the floor. Wally felt himself flush with embarrassment. Nothing like admitting one was a petulant child in front of one's hero. Even though he wore a cowl, Wally could tell Barry raised an eyebrow. "Want to talk about it?"

As much as he hated it, he was immediately wary of the offer. Was it a genuine offer or was it part of some bigger plan? Damn Hal for making him paranoid. "Not really."

"Fair enough." Barry pulled back his cowl and stepped up to the bed. He rested his hand lightly on Wally's shoulder. "Sorry, I haven't been here sooner." He paused. A smile appeared. "I guess it's obvious, and I know you already know, but I'm the Flash."

Wally returned the smile. "I never would have guessed."

Barry chuckled. "Iris said the same thing. If it weren't for Hal…" Barry shrugged and left the rest unsaid. "I'm glad both of you know. There were so many times I wanted to tell Iris, but I just couldn't. I'm glad the decision was made for me."

"How is she?"

"Sore. Physically, she'll be fine. Her broken wrist is preventing her from working. She can't type, even though it doesn't stop her from trying. Then she gets frustrated and angry…and, well, she has a lot of time on her hands."

A grin appeared. Wally read between the lines. "She's driving you crazy, isn't she." A bored Iris needed to be avoided at all costs. Iris didn't deal well with boredom. Iris didn't deal with relaxing. She could tolerate extremely small doses of nothing to do, but anything more pushed her sanity, and as a result, pushed the sanity of anyone around her.

"Maybe a little. She doesn't want to go out until the bruises and swelling fade, so on top of everything else, she also has a major case of cabin fever."

"Just go to the office for awhile," Wally suggested.

"That's not an option."

"Why not?"

"I've been put on administrative leave until Internal Affairs completes their investigation."

Wally frowned. "Why are they investigating you?"

Barry studied his hands. "Iris was…is badly beaten. When I took her to the hospital, the hospital called the police. Even though Iris has denied it and refuses to press charges, I'm under suspicion."

"How can they think you did that to her?"

"Because we can't tell them the truth."

Wally looked away. Yet another wrinkle in this entire mess. Wally would have never guessed that Barry's civilian life would have also been impacted. "I'm sorry."

"There's nothing to be sorry about."

"But-"

"Let them investigate. We both know they aren't going to find anything. Besides, it gives me more time to spend with Iris and you."

"How's she coping with all this?"

"It'll take time. She blames herself for what happened."

"But there's nothing she could have done."

"Deep down she knows that, but she feels as if she failed you again. One of her worst nightmares came true. She wasn't able to protect you."

Wally plucked at the blanket covering his legs. Barry's words didn't surprise him. Iris still carried an immense amount of guilt from when he was younger. No matter what he said or did, he knew it was something she would always have. "She tried," he said softly. He wondered how much Iris had admitted, if they knew how much she had really tried. It was something Iris needed to tell. He wasn't going to tell it for her. Besides, going down that road would naturally lead to a discussion of what had happened after Iris had left and he wasn't going there. At least not yet. "And she got help in the end."

"How are you doing?"

Wally continued to pluck at the blanket. His gaze wandered to the mess on the floor. He nodded toward it. "Doesn't that say it all?"

Barry glanced at the mess. "I can't help if you don't tell me what happened."

"Ask Hal. He can give you his version of events. I'm sure you'll be able to figure out the rest." It was a flippant answer. Barry deserved better, but Wally just wasn't in the mood at the moment.

Barry's lips had thinned with the mention of Hal's name. "I will." An uncomfortable silence fell between them. Barry changed the topic. "Any questions about the speed?"

When the Flash had first appeared on the scene, Iris had laughed when Wally had presented her with a laundry list of questions he would ask the hero if he were ever given that opportunity. Now, facing his hero, all those questions seemed like a waste of time. Maybe because he could – or would – be able to answer most of them himself. Instead, Wally voiced the one realization he had never imagined. "I never thought the time between seconds could feel like hours."

Barry smiled. "Sadly, it's something you never quite get used to. The best advice I can give you is to stay busy."

"Little hard to do at the moment."

"Iris and I figured as much." Barry disappeared and reappeared. Wally realized a normal person wouldn't have even noticed he had left, but Wally had clearly watched him leave and reenter the room. Barry held up Wally's backpack which was bulging at the seams. "Laptop, ereader, and an Xbox. Ereader's loaded with a variety of books and magazines Iris thought you might enjoy. We weren't sure what type of video games you might like, so there's a variety of them as well." Barry unzipped the backpack and peered inside. "There's some other miscellaneous things, too. Deck of cards, suduko, crosswords, cryptograms, pens, pencils, notebook, a couple thumb drives, headphones. I think Iris even tossed in whatever notes she could find on your dissertation." Barry carefully placed the backpack on the bedside tray. "I'll get you a new cell phone, even though as I'm sure you were told, there's no service here. I'll see to it, though, that you get wi-fi service even though you will be blocked from any email, instant messaging and all that."

He pushed aside his questions about the League's fixation with communication and focused on the gift itself. "I…thank you." Their concern spoke volumes. He tried not to think about how much the ereader and Xbox had cost, something neither he nor Iris could have afforded, at least without juggling other expenses. It was the thought. He'd find a way to repay Iris, but most likely Barry, somehow. "Did it hurt when it happened?"

"No, and at the time, I didn't really think about the why of it. I guess I had been too surprised and thankful that I wasn't burned. What about you?"

"It hurt, but it was mostly my knees. The current made my body arch, and my knees, or rather what's left of them, protested." He was downplaying it. It had hurt like hell. He had screamed. But the pain had been focused on his knees. Maybe if his knees hadn't been shot, it wouldn't have been as painful.

"I'm sorry."

Wally ignored Barry. There was nothing Barry could have done. There was nothing for Barry to feel sorry about. Obviously Iris wasn't the only one with guilt issues. "Did you know right away? Did you feel different?"

"No. I didn't realize what had happened until I ran to catch a cab and ended up running right past it. Even then…" Barry shrugged. "I wasn't quite sure what to make of everything."

"Did you feel anything?"

"Like what?"

"I don't know. I was just wondering if I'm missing something."

"Wally, if you're feeling something, tell me. It might not be related to the speed."

"I'm not." Wally forced himself not to fidget under Barry's gaze. If Iris were here, she would have known he was lying. Thankfully, Iris wasn't here. Besides, he didn't even know how to describe what he was feeling. Was it a tingle? A sixth sense? A phantom itch? At first he had thought it was somehow connected to the pain. Yet, with the pain levels mostly under control, the feeling had remained. Since he had never felt anything similar prior to the Thawne fiasco, it was logical to assume whatever it was, it was somehow related to the speed.

But if it were related to the speed, why didn't Barry feel it? Did Barry really not feel anything? Or was Barry lying? Wally quickly dismissed that option. Wally would have known if Barry were lying. And what reason would Barry have to lie about it? Could it be that Barry just wasn't aware of it?

It. It felt as if something were just beyond his reach. In general, time was his enemy. Those ticks between seconds felt like hours, but perhaps he could put those hours to good use. He could use those ticks to focus on the feeling, study it. Perhaps if he concentrated on it, he'd gain a better understanding of whatever it was. If he understood it, he could explain it. Maybe then Barry would recognize it.

They made small talk for a while longer. Eventually Barry made his move to leave. Wally didn't want to see him go. Apart from Hal, Barry had been his only visitor. J'onn was around, but J'onn didn't visit. Besides, Wally didn't know how comfortable he would feel conversing with a Martian. It was odd enough that J'onn was in his mind.

Barry sensed Wally's dismay. "I'll be back," he reassured. "In the meantime, if you need anything, let-"

"Iris," Wally quickly answered.

The look on Barry's face said it all. "Wally-"

The time had arrived to push the issue. "Why won't they let her visit? I can't even talk to her. She's my aunt. She's…" He choked back a sob. He would not break down or show weakness in front of Barry. Barry remained silent. He also refused to meet Wally's gaze. "No phone. No email. No communication of any kind. What are they so scared about? Why are they so paranoid? Is it me? Is it Iris?"

"It's Iris," admitted Barry softly.

"What?! Why? You and Hal both know her. You both can vouch for her. Is it because she escaped? Do they honestly think she and Dr. Thawne were in this together?"

"No."

"Then what is it?" He tried to keep the frustration out of his voice and failed miserably. When Barry remained silent, Wally made the connections. The ticks between the seconds allowed his mind to analyze hundreds of different scenarios. One seemed more viable than the rest. "It's because she figured out your identity, isn't it?" Barry continued to remain silent. His silence annoyed Wally. "Isn't it?!"

"Yes."

"So what? Who's she going to…" His mind made another leap. "Because she's a reporter? They think she's going to write an exposé? You honestly can't believe that."

"I don't, but-"

"Then tell them."

"Wally, Hal and I have, but there are other things to consider. Things aren't always black and white."

"Don't patronize me."

"I'm not, but we don't know what happened, we-"

"Iris was beaten. I was-" Wally waved his hand at his body "-this. That's what happened."

"If it's that simple, why won't you answer our questions?"

A bitter laugh escaped him. "You had me going for a while. I was honestly starting to believe that it was pure coincidence that you came. Obviously I was wrong."

"Wally-"

"Just leave."

"Wally, please-"

"Barry, just…I'm tired. I need to rest." He turned away and closed his eyes. Several seconds passed before he heard the sound of the door opening and closing. He had managed to alienate himself from the two friendly faces he knew. He had managed to alienate himself from the two people who had the best chance of convincing the League to at least let him talk to Iris. Yet again, he wondered how much simpler things would be if Dr. Thawne had just killed him.

* * *

><p>As soon as she heard the back door close, Iris turned off the television. Her mind hadn't been concentrating on the show. Daytime television shows left much to be desired. If Barry had cable TV, she'd at least be able to watch one of the news networks.<p>

Barry had left rather abruptly almost two hours earlier. She was trying his patience. She was bored. She didn't have a list of books that she planned to read "when she had time." She didn't do crafts. She didn't cook. She didn't bake. Barry couldn't even escape to work to avoid her, or at least not his civilian job. The department had placed him on administrative leave. That fact bothered her more than it bothered Barry. He hadn't done anything wrong, yet he was under suspicion because neither of them could tell what had really happened.

With the police department out of the equation, he was still able to escape to the Justice League. He had used the excuse of visiting Wally. So far, any news about Wally had come from Hal. For whatever reason, she was prohibited from either seeing or talking to her nephew. Questioning Barry on the why had proven pointless. He wouldn't answer, which simply told her that he knew the answer but wouldn't say.

From the kitchen two voices could be heard. Iris recognized the other voice as Hal. She wished the men would hurry up. She was impatient to hear news about her nephew. She could have walked to the kitchen and joined them, but walking would require her to move and moving was a painful option that needed to be avoided. Her entire body ached. The number, size and coloring of the bruises was overwhelming. She purposefully avoided looking in mirrors. They only served as a reminder of what had been done.

Soon Barry appeared in the doorway to the living room. He pulled back the cowl and sat down next to her on the sofa. Hal also appeared and leaned against the wall separating the living room and kitchen. While he wore his Green Lantern costume, he had removed his mask. Both men shared the same dejected look. They looked as if they were emotionally beaten. Something had not gone well. Iris hoped that something wasn't connected to Wally, but what else could it be? Barry had left to go see Wally. For the most part, Hal was keeping a close eye on Wally. "What's wrong?" She fought to keep the fear out of her voice. Her mind immediately went to the worst possible things that could happen. "Is Wally okay? Did something happen to him?"

Barry and Hal shared a look. Iris felt her fears increase. "Wally's okay," Barry replied.

His words didn't provide her any reassurance. "Then what's wrong?"

"I was questioning him about what had happened. Things didn't go quite as planned," admitted Hal. "I kept pushing him. I know I should have stopped. I didn't."

"I talked to Hal before I talked to Wally. I ended up making things worse," continued Barry. "I should have just let things be, but Wally gave me an opening and I picked up where Hal had stopped. Wally was less than thrilled. He's angry. He has every right to be angry."

"What were you asking him about?"

"Just what happened," Barry answered.

"Really?" Iris found it hard to believe.

"He's not telling us what happened."

Iris rolled her eyes. "Of course he isn't and he's not going to if you keep pushing him."

Barry appeared confused. "Why not? We only want to help."

She reached for his hand. "I know, but Wally needs space. He needs time. He's never told me everything that happened to him when he was younger either. He deals with it in his own way. If you push him, he'll clam up. Trust me on this one. I learned the hard way."

"This is different from what happened to him before."

"Is it? You might think it is, but it's not to him." It seemed unreal they couldn't see the similarities. Wally had been beaten physically. He had been attacked emotionally. Worse, he had had to deal with some of it alone. "When he's ready, he'll talk. Even when he does, there'll probably be some things he'll never talk about."

"Iris, I realize he went through something horrific, but not talking about it is not an option," Hal stated.

"Yes, it is. You're simply going to have to deal with it." It had been a hard fact for her to accept all those years earlier. It still hurt that he hadn't told her everything. She knew it wasn't a matter of trust. It was just Wally.

"Iris, we need to know what happened."

"You do." They had questioned her. She had answered their questions.

"No, we don't. We know the broad strokes, or at least most of them."

"And that's not enough?"

"No."

"You do remember Wally and I were the victims?" She failed to keep the sarcasm out of her voice. Hal frowned.

"Of course we do, but there are still many unanswered questions."

"Fine. Then ask me."

"You won't be able to answer all of them."

"Try me." Her attitude had started to irritate Hal. Good.

"Why did Thawne let you go?"

No holds barred. They weren't going to go easy on her. Hal had skipped all the preliminaries and gone to the heart of the matter. She had guessed the fact of Dr. Thawne letting her go – allowing her to escape – whatever they wanted to call it – would bother them. It bothered her. "How should I know? You'll have to ask him."

"We will once we find him. Maybe you could shed some light on where he might have gone."

"And why do you think I'd know that?"

"We don't, but you wanted us to ask you questions."

The snarkiness of his response surprised her. The fact he kept saying "we" instead of "I" annoyed her. Was it a conscious decision? Was he purposefully reminding her that she was dealing with the Justice League? Or was he trying to deflect any blame or anger she may have toward him to the League instead? "It's not my problem if you don't know where he is."

"You're wrong. It is your problem. Do you honestly think he'll let you alone? Or do you know that he will? Did you tell him what he wanted to know? What did you tell him?"

"Nothing of significance."

"Tell us and we'll determine whether it's significant or not."

"Is this how you treated Wally? It's no wonder he's upset. Again, I'll remind you, we're the victims."

"Thawne created another speedster," Hal shot back. "That's significant."

"And you can't even help him!" Iris glared at Hal. He met her gaze without flinching. If she were at her apartment, she would have kicked him out. But since she was at Barry's house, Barry needed to do the honors, something she doubted he would do.

"We're doing everything we can."

"Well, it's not enough."

"I know," he said softly. His frame seemed to deflate.

The sudden change in his demeanor caught her off-guard. Again she wondered how many of the questions he had asked were his own versus those that the League wanted to know. "Why won't they let me see him? Or at least talk to him?" She had asked Barry more than once. Each time Barry had said it wasn't possible, but he wouldn't say why. Maybe Hal could shed a little light on the situation.

Hal glanced at Barry. Barry shrugged, but remained silent. "There's concern that you figured out Barry and my identities. If you did it once, you could do it again."

She laughed in spite of herself. "Seriously? How am I supposed to do that? Hal, you've been Green Lantern for years. No one has made the connection. It was a fluke I did. It was just one of those coincidences that can't be explained. And recognizing you, well, it made me wonder about the Flash since Green Lantern and the Flash are good friends. In my wildest dreams, I never would have guessed an Air Force pilot was the Green Lantern or a police scientist was the Flash. Why would anyone think I'd recognize someone else?" The idea was ludicrous. Superman was based on Metropolis. Batman was based on Gotham. Green Arrow was based in Star City. Millions of people lived in both cities, just like Coast City and Central City. If she hadn't already known Hal and Barry, if she hadn't already been curious about their friendship, she would have never made the connection.

Hal gave her a small smile. "Trust me. Barry and I have made that argument, but some of our colleagues are a bit paranoid."

"May I ask who?"

Hal's smile broadened. "You can ask, but I'm already in enough hot water as it is. Maybe Barry can tell you."

Barry shook his head. "If the man who is supposedly without fear is worried about saying, I'm definitely not saying anything."

Iris laughed. It felt good to laugh.

"Iris, I'm sorry," apologized Hal. His sincerity was genuine.

She only nodded in reply. What more was there to say?

"Hal, would you give Iris and me a moment?" Barry waited until Hal left the room. He took her hand in his and met her gaze. "He's only doing what's been asked of him. I should have probably stepped in, but you were holding your own."

"I know, but it's all so… I'm worried about Wally, about how he's doing. I'm frustrated I can't talk to him or see him. I'm frustrated you seem to be making no progress in finding Dr. Thawne. I'm frustrated that I'm stuck here." She paused. Her words weren't news to Barry. She looked at him sheepishly. "I just needed a target. Unfortunately for Hal, he was it."

"I know, and believe me when I say that Hal and I and the rest of the League are just as frustrated. We want to make sure you and Wally are safe. We're doing everything we can think of to help Wally."

"But you won't let me see him. You won't even let me talk to him. Don't you see that something as easy as that would help? I can sort of understand everyone's concerns about me seeing him. God only knows where you have him. But I don't understand why I can't even talk to him. We didn't do anything wrong."

"You're right. You didn't." He pulled her close and kissed the top of her head. "I'm sorry."

Iris waited for him to say something – anything – more. He didn't.

* * *

><p>AN: Apologies for the delay. I lost count of the number of times I'd write something and then delete it because it wasn't working. This version isn't even close to some of the earliest versions. It also isn't quite what I hoped, but I've given up so the story can move on.


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: These characters aren't mine.

A/N: This story is AU. See Chapter 1 for more details.

* * *

><p>Hal sipped his coffee and kept watch over the sleeping form on the bed. Spending the night at the Watchtower hadn't been in his plans. He had hoped to catch more than the four hours of sleep he'd been getting the past few nights. A call from J'onn had altered those plans. J'onn had reported that Wally was restless in his sleep. Given the state of his restlessness, J'onn suspected a nightmare. Since Wally was still uncomfortable around J'onn, the Martian had contacted Hal, believing Wally would benefit from having a friendly face present when he awoke. Even if his last encounter with Wally hadn't ended with the young man kicking Hal out, Hal believed Barry would have been a better choice. J'onn had disagreed. Rather than argue, which would have been a pointless endeavor, Hal had reported to the Watchtower.<p>

Watching Wally sleep, Hal worked on finding the best way to apologize. He should have stopped. He knew Wally didn't want to answer any questions and yet he had kept pushing. The strategy had been simple. Keep pushing so Wally would grow angry and hopefully let something slip. The same strategy had been used with Iris. It hadn't worked in either case. Instead, both Wests had gotten angry.

Yet, despite Wally's growing frustration, the mention of tachyon particles had surprised him. No doubt Wally hadn't expected the League to be so thorough in its investigation. Based on Wally's reaction, the younger man obviously knew what tachyon particles were. But did he understand what they meant? Did he know why they had been present? What role did the tachyon particles have in Wally's refusal to answer any questions? What had happened after Iris had left? Iris guessed Wally had been alone with Thawne for approximately an hour. A lot of things could happen in an hour. Hal could easily imagine countless scenarios, each one a bit more farfetched than the previous. Yet, when tachyon particles were involved, farfetched seemed to be the norm rather than the exception.

He had been tempted to ask Iris about the tachyon particles. Perhaps he should have. Her father was a physicist. Wally was studying physics. She probably had a better understanding of scientific concepts than he did. His instinct, though, had told him to leave their presence go unsaid, at least for now. If needed, he could confront her about them later.

Confront…why had that word popped into his mind? No wonder Iris and Wally felt like suspects instead of victims. It should be discuss, chat, talk over…anything but confront. This was just another sign that he was in over his head. There had to be someone better suited than him to work as a liaison with Wally and Iris. Barry was the obvious choice, but he was already involved and arguably had a conflict of interest. Besides, Barry needed protection as well. He needed to be shielded from Bruce's beliefs about the Wests. He also needed to be shielded from Wally and Iris' anger. For his friend, Hal was more than willing to help in any way he could. His track record wasn't too good so far. By the forlorn on Barry's face after his meeting with Wally, Barry's track record wasn't too good either.

Thinking of his own actions toward Wally reminded him that he needed to apologize to Iris as well. Barry had reassured him that Iris wasn't angry at him, but instead frustrated with the situation. From Hal's perspective, it didn't matter. He had enough experience with angry women over the years to understand the power of "I'm sorry." Besides, looking back, he had definitely "confronted" her and for that reason alone, he needed to apologize.

Once he got done apologizing, he could resume his role as the bearer of bad news. Kyle had reported back. A thorough search of the Green Lantern Corps' records hadn't revealed any potential solutions to Wally's medical predicament. Hal hadn't realized how great his faith in the Guardians' records had been until Kyle's news had been shattered that faith. The Guardians had been around since the dawn of time. Surely, at some point throughout all those years, they would have run across a situation similar to Wally's. No such luck.

Hal yawned and rubbed his hand over his face. Stubble scraped his palm, reminding him of the early morning hour. The lack of sleep was going to catch up with him sooner rather than later. He may as well catch a few winks while he could. He closed his eyes and drifted off.

"No!"

The sudden outcry startled Hal from the light slumber he had been enjoying. His weariness quickly vanished. In stunned surprise he watched as Wally bolted upright in bed. Panic and terror were written across his face. One thought raced through Hal's mind – Wally shouldn't be moving that much or that quickly. As swiftly as Wally had sat upright, he fell back and screamed. The panic and terror had been replaced by pain. "Damn it," Hal muttered under this breath, moving to Wally's side. "Wally, you're okay. Just lie still. Don't move." With one hand on Wally's arm, Hal used his other hand to turn on his communicator. "J'onn, I – Wally needs your help."

"I'm aware of the situation, GL, but there's nothing I can do."

"What?!"

"Wally has clearly stated his concerns about my assistance. We established a clear boundary on how far I can use my abilities. If I help now, I will violate that boundary."

Hal couldn't believe what he was hearing. J'onn was refusing to help? Since when did J'onn refuse to help? "But-"

"Talk him through it. Help him regulate his breathing. Tell him to focus on an image. Remind him he's not alone. Remind him the pain will pass."

Hal looked at Wally. The young man's eyes were squeezed shut. His breathing was ragged. A sheen of sweat covered his face. Damn it. "Wally, take short breaths. Try to relax." After a minute of using variations of the same theme, Wally's discomfort didn't appear to be lessening. "Wally, J'onn can help. Just let him-"

"No." It was said through gritted teeth.

It took most of his self-control to not debate the issue. Instead, he forced himself to provide more empty promises and reassurances. It all served to remind him how far outside of his comfort zone he was. The situation called for someone who was more compassionate, caring, understanding… The emotions weren't foreign concepts to him. He just had to work harder than others to realize them, probably because he had spent years avoiding them. Barry should be here, he thought. If not Barry, J'onn was the next logical League candidate. However, Wally had angst about J'onn. Hal understood. While accepting J'onn was a Martian was one thing, accepting J'onn's telepathic abilities was another. It required a certain level of trust. It had taken time for Hal to gain that level of trust with J'onn. It would take the same for Wally.

As the time passed agonizingly slow, Hal made a mental list of everyone else who was more qualified. When he started to consider Guy Gardner, he realized how desperate he truly was. Eventually Wally stopped clutching the sheets. Color returned to his face. Hal held a glass of water and helped Wally take a drink. "Thanks." Wally's discomfort and embarrassment were clearly evident. "Sorry you had to see that. What time is it?"

"Four thirteen. A.M.," he added as an afterthought.

"Why are you here? Don't you have someplace better to be at four thirteen in the morning?"

Hal shrugged. "J'onn was worried about you. He noticed you were restless and guessed you were having a dream. He thought it might be good if a friendly face were here when you woke up." Hal watched the suspicion appear on Wally's face. Hal forced a lighthearted tone into his voice. "I tried to argue I probably wasn't that person, but J'onn wouldn't hear it."

"He 'guessed' or he knew?"

"Wally, you can trust J'onn. Yes, he's a telepath, but he won't read your mind. He doesn't know what you're thinking. He might pick up on your feelings, but that's just from normal body cues, nothing else."

"Then how…" Wally's gaze narrowed. His eyes scanned the room, focusing on the ceiling and the corners. "I'm being watched?"

Hal wondered if Wally's newfound speed made him process the possibilities quickly, or if Wally was just a quick thinker. Iris was definitely the latter. Perhaps for Wally it was a combination of both. "Yes," he admitted. It was a fact he wished he could deny.

Wally looked at him incredulously. "What is it with you people?! What exactly do you think I'm capable of doing? I can't stand. I can't walk. You've locked down all communication. How can I be such a threat that you have to watch me 24/7?!"

This was definitely not how he had hoped his conversation with Wally would go. He was supposed to be mending bridges, not digging even deeper holes. "It's not that." The statement was only a partial truth. The look Wally sent him revealed Wally recognized that fact. Hal quickly continued before Wally could argue more. "As you've probably noticed, staffing around here is light. It's only the League and not even all of us. On top of that, we're still concerned about your medical condition. Your legs are healing, but you're also still in a great deal of pain. To balance those two things, we use cameras to monitor you when someone isn't actually with you."

Wally's look was calculating. No doubt Wally was measuring the level of truth compared to the level of BS. In hopes of proving it wasn't all BS, Hal continued. "Wally, I'm sorry for everything that's happening. I'm sorry for how I treated you earlier. I should have stopped. I knew you didn't want to be questioned, but yet I kept pushing. And I'm sorry you feel that we're treating you like a suspect. Iris accused me of the same thing. And you're both right. But we want to make sure you and Iris are safe and to do that, we need to know what happened so we can prevent it from happening again. And I'm sorry we aren't doing more for you. We're the damn Justice League and yet we can't find a way to help you. I just…" Hal ran his hand through his hair in frustration.

Throughout his speech, Wally had stared at blanket covering his legs. Now, he met Hal's gaze. A small smile appeared. "Thanks for…well, that. I know I haven't exactly been making your life easy. I'm sure Iris hasn't either. I know – Iris knows – that you're doing everything you can. It's just…this is a lot to take in and as much as I hate to admit it, I'm scared."

Hal returned the smile. "To varying degrees, we all are. This was Barry's worst fear. Hell, all of us fear it. We don't want the people we know or care about to get caught in the crossfire."

"Is that why he didn't tell Iris who he was? Did he ever plan to tell her?"

"That's a question for Barry. It bothered him that he couldn't tell her. He wanted to, but he didn't know how."

"If you were in his situation, would you have told her?"

"I don't know. While it's probably not something to be proud of, lying, spinning the truth, telling tales, whatever you want you to call it, comes more naturally for me than it does for Barry. I doubt I would have been as bothered by it as he was."

"Same here."

"So…want to talk about the dream?"

Wally laughed and shook his head. "You don't give up, do you? Guess I have to give you credit for persistency."

"Some would argue that it's pure stubbornness."

"Well, there's that, too." Wally plucked at the blanket covering his legs. "I'm not ready yet." He shot a sideway glance toward Hal. "Iris was just as frustrated when I was younger. I had nightmares back then, too."

Unknowingly, Wally had provided the perfect opening for Hal share what he guessed Wally would view as more bad news – the files they had found detailing his childhood. They – specifically Bruce and J'onn – had yet to decide whether they should tell Wally. Hal decided to make the decision for them. "Thawne knew."

"Knew what?"

"About what happened when you were a kid."

Wally shrugged as if it were no big deal. "Only because STAR knew. They did a rather thorough background check."

"No, he knew more than STAR. We found a file folder at the warehouse. Police reports, psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers…it doesn't appear as if he missed anything or anyone."

Wally paled. "Did you read them?" he asked softly.

"No. Batman glanced through the file, but I don't think he read them completely."

Uncomfortable silence filled the room. Eventually Wally spoke, his voice still soft. "It makes sense. So many of his comments…they hit close, too close, to home. I thought it was just…" He shrugged, leaving the thought unfinished. "I never would have guessed it was because he knew."

More silence descended. Hal was unsure what to say and wisely decided to remain quiet. "The police reports are true," Wally continued after a pause. "The rest…parts are and parts aren't. They kept insisting I had to talk about it. I refused, but it didn't stop the appointments. Maybe I'm cynical, but I don't think they really cared if I told them the truth or not. They just wanted to be able check off the boxes on their lists. Had I accepted what happened? Check. Was I adjusting to life with Iris? Check.

"Iris and I had our ups and downs at first. I wasn't really sure if she wanted to take me in or if she felt like she had to. What eighteen-year-old college freshman wants to have their freedom and independence stripped away by a thirteen-year-old? There was a part of me that desperately wanted to believe she wanted to look after me, but I had learned not to get my hopes up. So I tested her, pushed her. I didn't make things easy for her, but she didn't give up on me. When I finally accepted that, I started to worry. What if the counselors and social workers and everyone else didn't see it that way? They were all aware of the crap I was putting her through. I didn't want to lose her. So, I became more cooperative with them. I still wasn't ready to tell them the truth, so I spun a few tales. They were satisfied. The appointments stopped and I got to stay with Iris."

Wally met Hal's gaze. "Iris doesn't know everything that happened. Please, don't let her read those reports. It will only make her worry and feel guiltier than she already does. And don't let Barry read them either. I don't want to see the pity in his eyes…like I see in yours."

Hal thought he had schooled his features to show no emotion. Obviously, he was wrong. But how could one impassively listen to that story? Bruce could, he thought sourly. The entire Bat family probably could. "Wally-" He wasn't sure what he was going to say, but he needed to say something. Wally didn't let him.

"Pity. It's one of the reasons I don't talk about it. Another reason is that talking about it makes me have to remember it and why the hell would I want to remember it? Even know…just skirting the perimeter…some wounds never really heal. Sometimes, denial isn't as evil as it sounds."

Wally made a good point. Hal wondered if Wally would use the same reasoning to not talk about what had happened with Thawne. In this case, though, not talking wasn't an option. For now, the League was willing to give him space. However, the League's patience wouldn't last long. The more Wally delayed, the greater his culpability would be questioned. While no one questioned Wally was a victim, the fact he refused to talk about what happened after Iris had left raised too many questions. Worse, there were those damn tachyon particles. Had those particles not been known, the League might have allowed the questions to go unanswered. The tachyon particles, though, were the game changer. "Wally, I know my childhood wasn't anything like yours. Not that mine was perfect. It was far from it. But if you ever want to talk, well, I might not be able to relate to what happened to you, but I'm willing to listen. The same can be said for all the Leaguers."

A small smile appeared. "Thanks. I'm not trying to make things more difficult for you or the others. I just need time. And I realize how ironic that statement is. I've already complained to Barry how much time is really in a day. But I just need to wrap my head around everything first."

"I know."

"So, what wasn't so perfect about your childhood?"

Hal grinned and shared some of the antics and exploits he and his two brothers had had over the years. The sound of Wally's laughter warmed his heart. In sharing the stories, he realized too much time had passed since he had last talked to his brother Jim or seen his niece and nephew. He silently vowed to take care of bother matters soon.

* * *

><p>"I'll catch up with you later," Hal said with a smile as he walked toward the door.<p>

"Yeah, thanks for coming." The response was automatic. The smile was forced. As the door closed, the temptation to shout for Hal to stay was great. It was emotional déjà vu. His mind went back to his childhood when the same feelings of sadness and loneliness and even a bit of fear had threatened to bring tears whenever Iris and his grandparents would leave. Only once had he made the mistake of begging them to stay a little longer. It was a mistake he had never repeated.

No doubt Hal had stayed longer than he had intended to stay. Wally had awakened around 4 a.m. Hal had gotten them breakfast around 7:30 a.m. Now it was almost 9 a.m. If Hal had any early appointments, he'd be late. Yet, he hadn't acted in a hurry to leave. Wally knew Hal would have stayed longer if asked.

The reason behind Hal's visit had been simple – see if the damage he had caused on the previous day could be repaired. As much as Wally wanted to stay angry with Hal – and Barry, the anger wouldn't serve him in the long run. Nor was it his personality to hold grudges. He'd much rather put the unpleasantness behind him and move on. He and Hal had done just that. Hopefully he'd soon do the same with Barry.

Hal's presence had allowed him to forget about the nightmare. Forget wasn't the right term. Deny was more on target. Wally wished Hal hadn't witnessed it, but at least, unlike the previous day, Hal hadn't pushed the issue. Still, the nightmare would be the proverbial elephant in the room until Wally opened up. He had shared more about his childhood than he had intended. Others would argue he hadn't shared anything, which was true. But Hal was the only one who knew all the reports, except the police report, were a mix of truth and lies. Even Iris didn't know and he prayed she never would.

With a sigh, he reached for the wheeled tray on which his laptop rested. Hitting the power button, he waited for the computer to boot up. The Justice League had granted him limited Internet access, although they had locked down access to any communication sites whether email, video conference, or social media. He had tried every work around he could think of, but had had no success. The lockdown was thorough and complete.

With that level of control, Wally wondered how closely they were monitoring his Internet activities in general. Nothing else seemed prohibited. From porn (he hadn't really looked – only tested the Internet controls) to fringe government conspiracy groups, everything else appeared accessible. It was odd and disturbing. It left him wondering how much power the Justice League truly had and what could happen if that power ever fell into the wrong hands. Hopefully the League had installed safeguards to prevent that from ever occurring…not that it would do any good if the League turned bad. He shook his head. Did he really want to contemplate the potential ramifications of what could or would happen if the League ever went bad? Besides, Barry going to the dark side? Never in a million years.

With a click, he opened the word processing program and his dissertation. While he had yet to do the actual research, finishing the literature review was possible. Yet, his heart wasn't in it. The topic he had chosen was a means to an end. It had never really interested him much. It was just a way to get the degree. Perhaps he should have contacted his grandpa. No doubt his grandpa had a list of potential ideas. Something on that list was guaranteed to have grabbed Wally's interest. But did he really want to rely on his grandpa's help? No. Wouldn't it be better if he did it on his own? Yes. But even his current topic wasn't truly his own. His advisor had suggested it. Wouldn't it be better if he developed something that was completely his own idea? Definitely better, particularly if he wanted to remain in the world of physics. But did he want to remain in physics? That was the real question. His STAR Labs experience had been anything but positive. Did he want to risk another gambit into the world of research? Could he really blame STAR Labs? The company itself hadn't done anything to him. That was all Dr. Thawne. Yet it was STAR Labs who had hired the man. Besides, STAR Labs wasn't the only research firm. There were many of them. STAR Labs, LexCorp and WayneTech were the biggest players. The U.S. government, particularly the Department of Defense, also conducted significant research. But did he really want to be a government employee? Or a LexCorp employee? More than once LexCorp had been exposed for various wrongdoing. Working for WayneTech…he had never heard any bad press about the company, except that its owner was an idiot. But that didn't seem to impact the company's performance or reputation.

Wally frowned. All the questions were giving him a headache and there didn't seem to be any end of them. Worse, for every question he answered, at least five more seemed to appear. He shook his head and tried to focus on the words on the screen. Thinking about where he could work was definitely putting the cart before the horse. For any of those jobs, he needed his degree first.

With a few clicks, he located the most recent index for one of the journals he needed to review. Just completing a literature review made him wonder why he ever thought he wanted to get his doctorate. It was busy work that he absolutely hated. At least when he finally had his degree, he could delegate the tedious literature review work to a research assistant. He smiled at the thought.

As he clicked through the links and noted various articles that may or may not be relevant, he scrolled through the index to the letter T. He paused. Only a few articles had been identified for tachyon particles. He scrolled farther. There was no index topic devoted to "time travel," but numerous articles were identified under "time." Was the Justice League watching him now? Were they monitoring what was actually on his computer screen? If he copied the information on the tachyon-related articles, would they know? If they didn't know now, they would eventually if he wanted to get copies of the articles. None of the articles were available online. If he wanted to read the articles, he'd eventually have to ask someone to get them for him. Since all communication was cut off, his only options were Hal, Barry, or one of the other Justice League members. Then again, if J'onn were reading his mind, all his worries were for naught. They already knew everything.

Against his better judgment, he made note of the tachyon-related articles. He quickly scanned the time-related articles and noted those that looked as if they might be interesting. Maybe he could find one or two of the articles being used as a reference for another article that was available online. It could avoid having to ask for someone to get him the hardcopies. It would also be time-consuming. But it wasn't like he didn't have a ton of time on his hands.

He quickly typed in the search parameters. As he scanned the articles identified by the search, he realized he was unable to focus on the words on the screen. Instead, his mind seemed to circle continuously around "time" and "tachyon particles." Fragments of the nightmare demanded his attention. Like any dream, his subconscious had taken bits of reality to create a heart-pounding nightmare. What he had told Hal had been a lie. There had been no connection between Dr. Thawne and his childhood. Mentioning his childhood had been a move of desperation. Hal knew it was dangerous territory. Wally had hoped that knowledge would prevent Hal from asking more questions. Had he known that about the Justice League had copies of the reports from his childhood, he would have used a different lie.

The truth was that the nightmare had magnified everything that had happened. It had forced him to relive it, but this time as a third party observer. He had watched helplessly as he had been doused with electrical chemicals not once, but three times. He had watched as Dr. Thawne had run the experiment on himself. He had known everything that was about to happen…including the screams that hadn't been his own. Just as he had been helpless when it had actually happened, he had felt that same helplessness in the dream.

What had actually happened made no logical sense. Why had the experiment worked on him but not the others? Why had the others been burned while he had gained speed? Had Dr. Thawne altered the protocol in some way? It seemed the only reasonable explanation for why he hadn't been burned. But if that were the case, why hadn't the experiment worked on Dr. Thawne? Why had the researcher been burned?

The first chemical bath had left them all surprised. Wally had known what was about to happen. He had prayed it would end quickly. He had wished Iris wouldn't have to witness it. But when it was over, he had only been wet, no burns. Dr. Thawne had seemed as surprised as Wally and had immediately declared something must have been set incorrectly. After all the settings were double-checked, the experiment had been repeated. Once again, Wally had prayed the end would be quick. Once again, he had only ended up wet. Dr. Thawne's frustration had increased. As the researcher had ranted, Iris had snuck up to Wally's side and laid her hand on his arm. Both of them had stared in surprise as she had quickly pulled the hand away, its palm red. It had been the start of a chemical burn. At the time, he hadn't fully grasped what it had meant.

Then had come the third time. Dr. Thawne had almost gleefully informed them that he was doubling everything, that even if it was a bad batch of chemicals, the electricity would be sufficient to kill Wally. Wally remembered looking at his aunt and thinking of all the things he needed to tell her. In the end, he had remained silent. She had told him that she loved him.

The third time had been worse. The pain was no different from the previous two times, but it had lasted much longer because the experiment had lasted longer. Dr. Thawne's rage had known no bounds when he had realized Wally had still been alive. Surprisingly, the rage hadn't been directed toward either him or Iris. Instead, the rage had been focused on the equipment and the researcher himself. It was then Wally had urged Iris to leave. He hadn't wanted her to witness what he had assumed would be his eventual death. Instead, he had encouraged her to go and find help. He could still see the reluctance in her eyes. Undoubtedly, she had assumed the worst would happen as well. Thankfully, she hadn't argued too hard. Looking back, he was grateful she had left and been spared the next events.

After those three attempts, Dr. Thawne had decided to experiment on himself. If Wally hadn't been hurt, the researcher must have assumed he wouldn't be hurt either. It had proven to be a life-altering assumption. The end result had been familiar. Dr. Thawne had been covered with chemical and electrical burns.

Why hadn't the experiment worked on Dr. Thawne? If chemicals and electricity had granted him speed, why hadn't it done the same for Dr. Thawne? What was different about him – and Barry – from everyone else? There were probably hundreds of potential dissertation topics in those questions, he thought sourly. Answering any of them would most likely solidify his future career. If only he had chosen to study genetics or biology or even chemistry instead of physics.

He needed to tell Barry and Hal what Dr. Thawne had attempted to do and what the end result had been. Perhaps it would allay their fears that Dr. Thawne remained a threat. If they had seen the man…heard his screams of pain… He pushed the thoughts from his mind. Sadly he knew that telling them would just result in more questions. If Dr. Thawne were hurt, where was he? How had he left? How long had he been gone before Hal had appeared? Was he dead? These were the questions Wally wasn't yet ready to answer. If the Justice League hadn't found those damn traces of tachyon particles, it would have been so much easier to spin a tale. The tachyon particles effectively eliminated that option.

His gaze returned to the computer screen. He googled "tachyon particles" and "time travel." Over 36,000 results. And if the Justice League were monitoring his Internet searches, they now had proof that he knew the significance of tachyon particles, or at the very least knew how to spell "tachyon." With a sigh, he closed the search engine without clicking on any of the entries. What would be the point? Tachyon particles facilitated time travel. The exact how remained unknown, the risks high, and the potential paradoxes limitless. The research was highly guarded due to the dangers time travel represented.

He stared computer screen. Hesitantly he reopened the search engine and typed in another search – "shock waves" and "sound barrier." Google returned over 900,000 results. Once again, he didn't click on any of the links. He knew the effects. It was simply physics. Instead, he had just wanted to see how much information was available. The answer was significantly more than tachyon particles. And if the Justice League were monitoring his Internet usage, they now had the clues for what had happened to his legs. Who would have thought a single snap of the fingers could cause such damage? Who would have thought a single snap of the fingers could create a sonic boom?

Again, he did his best to banish the thoughts from his mind, unsure when he would be able to acknowledge what had happened. Closing the Internet connection, he pushed away the wheeled table holding his laptop. It bumped another table on which he had placed some papers, a notebook and pen. The bump jarred the book which rattled the notebook which caused the pen to slide toward the edge of the table. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion, including his reaction. While his thought processes were occurring at lightning fast speeds, he still hadn't translated that speed into actual movement. Perhaps it was a mental block connected to his fear of moving his legs. That movement was not an option. Even the slightly twinge resulted in excruciating pain. He didn't even want to imagine what the pain levels would be if he purposefully tried to move his legs.

As his hand reached to grab the pen, he realized there was a very strong possibility that he wouldn't be fast enough. The irony wasn't lost on him – one of the fastest men alive couldn't prevent a pen from falling to the floor. Then the unexpected happened. His finger had barely touched the pen and the pen had abruptly stopped moving. That was impossible. He hadn't exerted enough force to stop the pen. Even stranger, his finger tingled as if he had gotten a static shock. Yet, like the pen stopping, a static shock was just as impossible. The pen was plastic.

What had happened? How had the pen stopped? It took a force to stop a force. What other force had been involved?

He stared at his finger, slowly bending it up and down. Its movement was normal. The tingling sensation had almost disappeared. As much as he wished it weren't the case, he recognized the sensation. It was the same feeling that had been haunting him since this nightmare had begun. There was only one difference. For a brief time, the feeling had been amplified. Not only had it been amplified, but it had felt as if there were more…more of something. As quickly as it had appeared, though, it had also disappeared. Was that sensation somehow connected to the pen? As strange as it seemed, that had to be the case. It was too much of a coincidence to disqualify it. But if it was connected, how?

Wally moved the pen to the edge of the table and flicked it across the table's surface with his finger. As the pen moved, he reached for it with his finger. Nothing out of the ordinary happened. This time his finger barely brushed the pen and the pen kept moving. He had to grab the pen to stop it. There was no tingle – no anything. He tried it again and got the same result. Why wasn't it working? What was different? Same pen. Same finger. But no tingling. What had caused the tingling to increase? Had he done something?

Taking a deep breath, he focused his concentration. He flicked the pen again and willed his finger to stop the pen. The pen flew off the table before he could grab it. "Damn it," he muttered. Reaching into his backpack he removed another pen. He repeated his actions, this time concentrating harder. Another pen fell to the floor. Why wasn't it working?

He placed another pen on the table. A change of tactics was in order. Instead of willing his finger to stop the pen, he simply willed the pen to stop. To his amazement, it did. He tried it again and again the pen stopped. He tried it a third time. The third time he felt the tingling sensation a nanosecond ahead of the pen stopping.

Setting the pen aside, he tore a piece of paper from a notebook. He let the paper fall. Just before it reached his land, he touched it, willing it to stop. The swaying motion stopped and the paper fell straight down. Gravity.

Excitement built up inside him. What he was doing was both amazing and impossible. Hundreds of questions filled his mind. With a smile, he realized he could be his own dissertation topic. Grabbing his notebook, he started to jot down ideas. For once, time seemed to be passing quickly.

He was on his second page of notes when he recognized the telltale sign of an oncoming pain spasm. As it traveled from his nerve endings to his brain, he braced himself. His hands fisted the sheet as the pain hit him. Squeezing his eyes shut, he breathed slowly through his mouth. It felt like an eternity before the pain started to ease. It was tempting to call out to J'onn. It would make it all so much easier. The Martian had indicated he was willing to provide additional assistance whenever needed. Yet, Wally knew he couldn't rely on the Martian forever. If the Justice League couldn't find a fix, eventually he would need to learn to handle the pain by himself. Besides, did he really want to grant J'onn more access to his brain?

The pain had almost subsided whenever pain signal started to travel to his brain. He mentally braced himself for another round. However, before that pain fully registered, a nightmare he hadn't even considered occurred. In an instant, all of his nerves in his legs seemed to come alive. Hundreds of signals raced toward his brain, some faster than others. An Armageddon of pain was fast approaching. Any discomfort he had about J'onn was pushed aside. He'd need all the help he could get to handle the next round. Mentally he called for help. Only silence greeted him…until he screamed.


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: These characters aren't mine.

A/N: This story is AU. See Chapter 1 for more details.

* * *

><p>"Thanks," Iris said, accepting the steaming cup of coffee from the vigilante. The word made her grimace. Why did she consider this man a vigilante but Barry and Hal heroes? Was there any difference? Each of them fought bad guys outside the lines of the law. Technically, Barry and Hal and all the heroes were vigilantes. Yet, the vigilante title didn't seem to fit them. Maybe because they wore bright, colorful costumes while the hero who had handed her the coffee was dressed almost completely in black. Even his hair was black. The only contrast was a swath of red across his chest.<p>

Nightwing. The name had been unfamiliar. Despite his preference for black, she didn't find him threatening. When he had appeared unannounced at the backdoor of Barry's house telling her that Wally needed her, she hadn't hesitated to go with him. There was something about his demeanor that made her instinctively trust him. That said, she didn't doubt his ability to strike the fear of god into criminals. No doubt he wore black for a reason.

Her gaze returned to Wally. He was resting peacefully. He had been doing so for the past twenty minutes. His current state gave no indication to the hell he had been suffering. Once Nightwing had told her that Wally had needed her, she hadn't questioned him further. If she had, she might have been better prepared for the sight that had greeted her. Never had she seen Wally – or anyone for that matter – in such physical distress. He had been covered in sweat. His breathing had been ragged. His eyes had been squeezed shut. His body had been tense, his hands gripping the sheets. His moans of pain had filled the room. She had done what she could, which was pitifully little all things considered. She could only offer her presence and empty promises.

Through it all, Nightwing had remained in the room. Perhaps he had been ordered to keep watch over her. She _was _a security threat, even though god only knew what they actually thought her capable of doing. By remaining in the room, Nightwing had witnessed the suffering Wally had endured. She wondered what he thought of the situation. A mask hid his eyes. The rest of his face had remained unreadable. A few times he had asked if there was anything he could do. The answer had always been the same. No.

Iris sipped the coffee. "Thank you for bringing me here." Nightwing only nodded. "Was my presence approved or are you going to get in trouble?"

"It wasn't approved."

"So, you will get in trouble." While she had suspected as much, she had hoped he would have said no.

"Bringing civilians here is a major taboo."

Even though he provided the opening to ask where exactly they were, she doubted he would actually tell her. In Central City, he had taken her to a teleporter. Teleportation had proven to be an unsettling experience. No words could aptly describe the feeling. She hoped there would be an easier way for her to return to Central City. For now, she decided to let the opening pass. She'd ask Barry instead. At least with Barry, she'd be able to tell truth from lie. From what she had seen so far, Nightwing had an excellent poker face. "I never heard your name mentioned as a member of the League. Truthfully, I've never heard of you."

A small smile appeared. "I'd be worried if you had. Even in Gotham City, most don't know my name. Those that do, well, they're typically on the wrong side of the law. As for the League, technically, I'm not an active member. I'm a reserve member."

Reserve member? She had never considered the League having reserve members, but it made sense. "So, they called you to stay with Wally when they needed to go." She only knew the League was confronting some threat that had required everyone's participation. Or at least that's what Barry had told her seconds before leaving.

"Not exactly," he said slowly. A sick feeling settled in the pit of her stomach. "Batman contacted me, told me to come here."

Her gaze flew towards Wally as she processed his words and their meaning. Wally had been alone. They had left him alone. How could they have left him alone? Why would they do such a thing? Yes, whatever threat the Justice League was battling required all their members, but there were more heroes than just those in the League. Nightwing was proof of that. Why hadn't they asked for assistance?

She reached for Wally's hand and squeezed it reassuringly. He deserved more than this. How could Barry – how could Hal – have not done more? Maybe they didn't know. Maybe the decision had been made without telling them. Iris desperately hoped that would be the case because she couldn't accept that Barry or Hal would have allowed this to happen.

"I arrived a few minutes after Batman had contacted me. He hadn't told me why. He had just said to come. When I got here…he was already suffering. One glance at his medical chart told me there was nothing I could do."

"You're a doctor?"

"No, but in this line of work, one generally has more than a basic understanding of first aid and medical terminology. When I asked him what I could do to help, he mentioned your name. You know the rest."

Iris nodded as she gently brushed back Wally's hair. What sort of medical treatment was Wally receiving? While the equipment in the room was state-of-the-art, was there a doctor managing his care? If not a doctor, someone who was qualified to provide treatment? She hadn't thought to question Barry or Hal about it. She had just assumed, something she should have known not to do. Assumptions – or rather incorrect assumptions – provided most of the fodder for investigative journalism. Never assume. It was a simple rule. Yet, it's exactly what she had done.

"You aren't quite who I had pictured when he said you were his aunt."

She pushed the dark thoughts from her mind and gave him a smile. "Most people have the same reaction when I introduce Wally as my nephew."

A smile lit up Nightwing's face. Before he could respond, the door opened. "Iris?" Barry stood in the doorway. His costume had seen better days. Parts were torn, others were blackened. The battle was over. The state of his costume revealed that whomever they had gone against, it had been a hard fought battle. His gaze shifted. "Nightwing." The other hero only nodded in reply. Barry stepped to her side, his hand rested on her shoulder. "Is he okay?"

There were so many potential answers to that question. She shrugged away from his touch as her temper started to rise. "You told me – you promised me – that he wasn't suffering."

"Iris…" Pain filled his voice. He wiped his hand across his face. "He wasn't. This was a… It's not always like this. It was… He was…"

Barry's inability to provide a simple explanation caused her anger to grow. "'He was' what?!" she demanded. "I've never seen suffering like that and I hope to god I never see it again. He was in pain, more pain than you or I can even comprehend. If it weren't for Nightwing…" She left the rest of her thought unsaid. She dreaded to think about how long Wally might have suffered alone. Never again.

Barry paled. "J'onn was hurt. He was knocked unconscious. He-"

"And you didn't think to prepare for that possibility?! The Justice League, which seems to have a contingency plan for everything, didn't have one for this? Spare me."

"Iris-"

"Did you know he was left here alone?"

"No…yes…it didn't register. I didn't…I didn't realize until J'onn was hurt and Hal started to swear."

It didn't register? Wally didn't register? She stared at him completely speechless.

"Iris, it was an accident," Hal replied. When had he arrived? Like Barry, he acknowledged Nightwing's presence with a nod. Like Barry, his costume had seen better days. Like Barry, his gaze lingered on Wally. Unlike Barry, a sling held his left arm. Yet another sign of how difficult the fight had been. At least two of the Leaguers had been injured.

"You knew," she accused.

Hal had the decency to look remorseful. "It won't happen again."

"You're damn right it won't. I'm staying. I'm going to be here with him. I'm not leaving him."

"Iris-" Both Barry and Hal started to speak. Both were interrupted.

"That's not an option, Miss West."

The voice was low and gravelly. Iris turned to see the newcomer. Batman. His presence filled the room in a way Barry, Hal nor Nightwing managed to do. As she had turned, she had noticed Nightwing straighten and take a step forward. She had also noted that Hal had tensed. Both seemed to be odd reactions. Hopefully it wasn't a sign of things to come.

"Nightwing overstepped his role. You shouldn't have been contacted or brought here."

She stared at the man in disbelief. She must have misunderstood. "Excuse me?"

"Nightwing was to assist Wally."

"Batman-"

Iris cut off whatever explanation or justification Nightwing was going to provide. "If you'd been here, you would've seen the distress Wally was in. Nightwing made the right decision. Wally needed me."

"He specifically asked for her. His blood pressure dropped as soon as he heard her voice," stated Nightwing.

Batman's lips thinned. His jaw tightened. Iris prepared herself for a verbal sparring match. The reason behind Hal and Nightwing's tension was quickly becoming obvious. "Gentlemen, ma'am, I suggest we continue this conversation elsewhere." Yet another new voice. Wally's room had become Grand Central Station. She didn't try to hide her surprise at the figure. Tall, imposing, and definitely not human. It must be J'onn. Behind him stood Superman. If she was going to face off against the Justice League, the more the merrier. Still, instinct told her that her primary opponent was Batman.

Batman turned to leave. She sensed Barry stir next to her. Obviously they were meant to follow, yet she hesitated. A glance toward Wally revealed that the commotion in the room hadn't disturbed his rest. Still, she didn't want to leave him. "I'll stay with him," Nightwing said softly, standing next to the bed. "He won't be alone."

Even though the mask hid his eyes, she heard the kindness in his voice. "Thank you," she answered and allowed Barry to direct her from the room.

They moved as a group. No one spoke. The tension was palatable. Wherever they were, the emphasis was definitely on function rather than form. Grey appeared to be the color of choice. What little contrast existed was provided by the differing shades of grey. The only color was provided by the costumes, with the notable exception of Batman. It was depressing. The sooner Wally got away from this, the better. This environment was not conducive to healing. It didn't seem to be conducive to much of anything.

They entered a meeting room – more grey. A large conference table and chairs consumed most of the room's space. While the chairs were identical, watching the men revealed that they appeared to have assigned seats. With the exception of Batman, the others waited for her to be seated before seating themselves. Barry pulled out a chair for her. Iris idly noticed that Barry and Hal flanked her, Barry sitting on her right and Hal on her left. What exactly did they think was going to happen? Why had they gone into protection mode? She could hold her own. She didn't need their help. Besides, after seeing how Wally had been treated, she wasn't sure she wanted their help.

"Miss West, my name is J'onn J'onzz. Some people refer to me as the Martian Manhunter. I am helping Wally manage his pain levels. I am truly sorry for what Wally experienced earlier. It was not my intention – nor the League's intention – that he suffer more than he already is."

Despite his alien appearance, his regret over what had happened was evident. There was no question that he had a full understanding of what Wally had experienced. Still, Iris wasn't ready to forgive him or the League. They should have been better prepared. There should have been a back-up plan.

Superman cleared his throat. "Miss West, Batman contacted Nightwing as soon as J'onn was incapacitated."

"I know. Nightwing told me. What I can't comprehend is how you could have left Wally alone? That you didn't have a contingency plan of some sort? Even if J'onn hadn't been hurt, what if Wally had needed something? What if his condition changed? Apart from whatever mental link you had with him, how else was he being monitored?" The questions seemed to make all of them uncomfortable. The notable exception was Batman. That man hadn't moved. With the cowl and opaque lenses, she couldn't even tell if he had blinked. Instead, he appeared to be studying her.

"As you're aware, an incident arose that required the full strength of the Justice League," explained Superman. "This facility is usually only staffed by one Leaguer. Even then, it can be operated remotely."

Once again, she let the opening pass. Even if she asked where "here" was, she knew she wouldn't get a straight answer, if any at all. "That's all well and good, but you didn't answer my question. Why was he left alone in the first place? Why didn't you contact Nightwing or some other hero? Nightwing mentioned he's a reserve member. I'm guessing he's not the only one."

While Batman remained silent, Superman was growing increasingly uncomfortable. "No, he's not, and I can assure you that-"

"You can 'assure me.'" She didn't even try to hide the sarcasm. "That's rich. What have you done to 'assure me' so far? My nephew is left alone. Nightwing is told he overstepped his role by contacting me. What exactly was he supposed to do? As much as I hate to admit it, there was nothing I could do except be here for Wally and give him empty promises that everything will be okay." Silence filled the room. Their cowardice to respond disgusted her.

"Who is his doctor? Who's providing the medical oversight? Who's prescribing his treatment? I should have known better than to assume the League would have Wally's best interest in mind. Calling Nightwing was clearly a CYA move. While I'm disappointed neither Barry nor Hal did anything, and trust me, we'll be having a long discussion about that, I know they don't operate the League. I'm not quite sure who does, but it's either the three of you or a subset of you three."

"Iris-"

She held up her hand to stop whatever Barry was about to say. She hadn't even begun to speak what was on her mind. "Barry and Hal tell me that I'm not to be trusted. I hate break it to you, but that trust works both ways and from my point of view, I can't trust you either." Even without looking, she knew a smirk had appeared on Hal's face and a look of despair had appeared on Barry's.

Her words had caused a small frown line appeared on Superman's forehead. The discomfort he had been showing disappeared, replaced by confusion. "Why are you saying that we don't trust you?"

She feigned surprise. "You don't know? I'm a security threat. It's why Barry and Batman are so insistent that I leave, even though in Barry's defense, I think he's just going through the motions, or maybe he's just trying to protect me from all of this-" she waved her hand toward the room "-or maybe he's just trying to protect me from you," she concluded, looking pointedly at Batman.

Superman's gaze settled on Batman. "I thought we had settled this issue."

The man finally spoke. "That was before she knew Barry and Hal's identities."

It was her turn to frown. "What do you mean 'before'?"

Batman's gaze was unyielding. "Your previous actions reveal how far you are willing to go to uncover the truth."

What was the man talking about? "My 'previous actions'?"

"You conducted background checks on Barry and Hal. Do you run similar checks on all the men you date and their friends?"

She worked to keep the surprise off her face. They knew about those background checks? Neither Barry nor Hal had ever said anything nor given any indication that they had known. Could it mean they didn't care? Or did it mean they hadn't known how to tell her? Telling her would have required them to admit how they had known, and face it, there was no logical explanation for how two civilians would have known. Even the fact they were U.S. military and law enforcement wouldn't have been a rational explanation. Considering she was still dating Barry, perhaps neither man had viewed it as a big deal.

As her mind processed the possibilities, Barry flew to his feet, almost knocking his chair over. He angrily pointed his finger toward Batman. "Don't go there." His voice was low and full of menace. His reaction snapped her back to the present. The voice – the reaction – it was a Barry she didn't recognize. As soon as Barry had stood, Hal had also stood. Iris noted Hal's concentration was focused fully on Barry. It was almost as if Hal expected to have to prevent Barry from doing something. Which raised the question of what Hal expected Barry might do…and if that expectation was based on instinct or previous experience.

She reached up and touched Barry's arm. The contact brought him back to the moment. His expression softened. "I can handle this," she reassured. "Please." Even with the cowl on, she saw a mix of emotions cross his face. He sat reluctantly. Hal also sat. She grasped Barry's hand and turned her attention back to Batman. "No, I don't, even though there's more than one guy I wish I had. It would have saved me a few hours of my life." Her answer seemed to briefly relieve some of the tension. Next to her, Hal hid a smile with his hand. "The question for me is how did you know? Are you spying on your colleagues?"

"There are security protocols in place to safeguard identities."

In other words, yes, he was spying. "And what happens when one of those protocols is broken? Obviously I broke one. No doubt the fact that I'm also a reporter, worse an investigative reporter, sounded an even louder alarm, and I'm guessing it's part of the reason why you're prohibiting me from seeing Wally. Clearly, I'm more interested in my job than my nephew's health and am just using that as an excuse to get close to all of you." She really needed to control the sarcasm. "So, what did you do? What protocol was followed? I'm guessing whatever it was, it was aimed at me. I don't recall anything, but I highly doubt that means you didn't do anything. Forgive me, but that just doesn't seem to be in character for you."

An uncomfortable silence filled the room. Superman studied his hands. Barry did the same. Hal fiddled with the sling on his arm. It was impossible to tell if J'onn felt any discomfort. As for Batman, he continued to meet her gaze. Once again, their silence spoke volumes. They – or maybe just Batman – had done something, but what? Her mind searched through her memories to identify anything out of the ordinary that had happened to her close to the time she had requested those background checks. Nothing stood out. Everything had been routine, except…

Clarity hit her hard. They had done nothing to her. Instead, they had focused on Wally. They were the reason he had had troubles with the background check STAR Labs had conducted. The Justice League had identified Wally as a government threat. Outrage burned inside her. She stood. "You bastard," she hissed. "It was your fault. Who the hell do you think you are? What justifies you messing with Wally's…" Her voice trailed off. She had spoken too soon. Something was missing. Why would they have done something to Wally and nothing to her? In their eyes, he wasn't the threat. She was. Wally was just collateral. They had done something to her as well, but what? Had they messed with her background as well? Had they identified her as a security threat as well? Were they hoping if someone found issues with Wally's background, they might also check into her background? It had a twisted sort of logic. Only it hadn't worked. STAR Labs had become suspicious, but they hadn't checked her background. Or if they had, there had been nothing to find. The possibilities seemed endless. She could feel the beginnings of a tension headache. Whether they had done anything to her was moot. The issue was that they had messed with Wally, someone who was completely innocent.

Her gaze narrowed. "You're a real piece of work, aren't you? You're all about looking after the world, protecting it, but who's keeping watch on you? Who could? There's more power sitting in this room than the world's armies combined and this isn't even all of you. We've all been so impressed – so thankful – when you've saved the world that we forget about the potential ramifications. If you have time to mess with my life, with Wally's life, where else are you meddling? How many other lives have been screwed with by the Justice League? More importantly, who or what's to keep the Justice League from going rogue, and if it does, who would stop you?"

Silence continued to reign. She shook her head in disgust and looked at Barry. "Take me home. No one here will admit they did wrong, that they crossed a line. No one here is going to listen to reason. No matter what I say, no matter what I do, I can't win." She turned to leave. As she did, the door opened. Wonder Woman entered the room. While Iris paused, Barry and Hal were immediately on their feet.

"You can't be serious," Hal declared incredulously.

"No way in hell," replied Barry angrily.

"Batman…" Even Superman's voice sounded unsure.

Hal's ring had started to glow. Iris could feel the energy emanating from Barry. Something had put both men on edge. That something had to be Wonder Woman, but by the look on her face, she was just as surprised. "Barry, what's going on?"

"Did she just call you 'Barry'?" Wonder Woman demanded.

Barry grasped Iris' hand. Iris was unsure if the gesture was meant as a reassurance or a warning to keep quiet. "Diana, this is Iris West, Wally West's aunt and my girlfriend. Iris, this is Diana, also known as Wonder Woman."

"And she knows who you are?"

Barry nodded. "Hal, too."

Iris tried not to be intimidated by the Amazon. While she found the male heroes larger than life, she hadn't found them intimidating, with the notable exception of Batman. Yet, he was more frustrating than intimidating. Wonder Woman was proving to be a different story. Wonder Woman sized her up before turning her attention to Batman. "Why did you summon me?"

"You specifically asked her to come?!" Barry said.

"What the hell were thinking?!" remarked Hal.

Even though the cowl hid his eyes, it was plain to see the glare he directed at Barry and Hal. He looked at Iris. "You want us to trust you."

The answer was obvious. "Yes."

He looked at Hal and Barry. "That's why."

"You sonofa-"

Iris watched in stunned silence as the next events unfolded. They happened quickly. One second Barry was at her side, the next he was slamming Batman into the wall. Hal and Superman were immediately at his side, pulling him away. What had gotten into him? Who was this Barry? She rushed to his side. "Barry! Barry, look at me!" He ceased struggling, though the tension in his body remained. "Stop it. Whatever's going on, it's not worth it."

"You don't understand."

"Then make me understand," she said quietly.

Barry looked down and refused to meet her gaze. She glanced briefly at Hal before focusing on Superman. For whatever reason, she believed she'd get a straight answer from him. He sighed. "I'm guessing Batman requested Wonder Woman's presence because of her lasso. If the lasso touches you, you're incapable of deceit."

"Lie detector tests and truth serums are not infallible. The lasso is," Batman stated.

Iris felt tired. Round one had ended in a stalemate. Round two had begun. She didn't have the energy for another round. She wanted everything to end. "Why do you think I'd lie?"

"Because so far, you've refused to tell either Barry or Hal everything that happened. Nor did you tell them that you knew who they were. Your nephew is also refusing to talk."

How had everything come to this? She faced Batman. "Fine. I can't speak for Wally, but if you want to know what happened, I'll tell you."

"Iris-"

"No, Barry. I'll tell him. And when I'm done, if he still thinks I'm lying, I'll wear the damn rope or do whatever else the League says I need to do. Maybe then you'll finally start helping Wally."

"Miss West, despite appearances, we are doing everything we can for your nephew," Superman insisted.

"Really? Everything? If it was someone you cared about, would you have left that person alone? Would you be banning their loved ones from helping?" Superman didn't answer. "I didn't think so. Believe what you want, but the truth is that a young man is hurting. I believed Hal when he told me that the Green Lantern archives have been searched for anything that could help Wally. I've watched Barry poring over books and the Internet for anything that might help Wally. What about the rest of you? How hard have you looked?"

She faced Batman. "You're probably the reason nothing is getting done. Imagine having to witness someone you love being shot, not once, but twice. Shot at point blank range. I will never forget the sound of those gunshots, Wally's screams, the blood, or the smile on that sick bastard's face. He got off hurting Wally. The more Wally suffered, the more he seemed to enjoy it.

"I begged that bastard to let Wally go, to do whatever he wanted to do to me instead. He only laughed and said my time would come. It was Wally who insisted I leave, that I go get help. It was one of the hardest things I ever had to do. I had made a promise to myself that I would protect Wally. I had failed him once and I wasn't going to let that happen again. But I did…" She blinked away tears. "I think of all the things I should have done. I should have screamed. I should have fought harder. Or maybe I should have told him everything I knew about the Flash. I'm guessing that's you're biggest concern. What did I tell that bastard and how might it impact your life? Did I spill your secrets? Did I tell him who the Flash is? Does it even matter what I say? Even if I wear that damn rope, you're probably going to believe that I am somehow the only person in the entire universe that managed beat the damn thing."

"Iris-"

She ignored Barry. "His sole focus was how the Flash had become the Flash. He never asked who the Flash was or even if I knew who he was. Would I have told him if he had asked?" A bitter laughed escaped. "Honestly, I don't know. I know how Barry worried about what might happen if his identity became known, how it might endanger his friends and family. But if sharing his name meant I might have spared Wally some pain? I don't know. But if I had, it would be Barry's issue, not yours."

She continued to look at Batman. "Is your secret so special that you'd risk the life of someone other than yourself? Is the secret that important? I know Barry. I think I even know Hal. If revealing either of their identities might have spared Wally, neither of them would have hesitated. From what little I've seen here, I can't say the same for you." While it didn't surprise her that the man remained silent, it seemed out of character that he didn't meet her gaze. At some point he, too, had taken to staring at his hands. It appeared she had won round two, but it was an empty victory. What exactly had she won? They remained at an impasse. Whatever happened next needed to happen with the League, and whatever discussion and decision that would be made would not be done in her presence. It might not even be done in front of Barry and Hal. It was time to leave. Still, she wasn't done.

Her gaze moved to Superman and the Martian Manhunter. "I don't ever want to hear that Wally is left alone again."

Superman nodded. "Someone will-"

"And it's not just for those times when you're all needed to save the world. I don't want him sitting in that room by himself for hours on end. This place is depressing. He needs contact. He needs interaction with others."

"Miss West-" J'onn began.

"He's not a prisoner," she continued. "Barry and Hal, in particular, have been doing what they can, but I doubt anyone else has apart from bringing him his meals or checking the monitors."

"Are you suggesting that you-"

She glared at Batman and cut him off. "Hell, no, because I'm not to be trusted, right? And as I pointed out, that trust works both ways, and apart from Barry and Hal, I don't trust any of you." It wasn't quite true. It was difficult to not instinctively trust Superman, but she wasn't about to try to explain the nuances.

"Miss West-" tried Superman again.

Only one name came to mind. She had only just met him. They had barely talked. Yet, instinctively, she knew she could trust him. "Nightwing…if he's willing." She looked at Batman. "It seems as if he would be someone both of us would trust."

Batman nodded. "If he's willing."

The ease at which Batman agreed seemed out of character, but she was too tired to question them further. She nodded in return. It was a small victory. Perhaps it wasn't even a victory, but she'd take what she could. In the meantime, Barry and Hal had a lot of explaining to do.


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: These characters aren't mine.

A/N: This story is AU. See Chapter 1 for more details.

* * *

><p>So far, their conversation had been rather stilted. They had yet to find a conversational rhythm where the topics easily flowed from one to another. Instead, any topic quickly waned. Wally knew he was mostly to blame. He made no effort to hide his lack of enthusiasm. The fact the idea had originated with Iris was the only reason Wally had agreed to it. Had it been suggested by anyone else, he would have refused. Yet Iris always seemed to know what was best for him. If she thought this was a good idea, he was willing to give it a try…but trying didn't mean he couldn't put the majority of work on Nightwing's shoulders.<p>

Besides, despite it being Iris' idea, there was still one fundamental problem. Friendship was built on trust. Wally didn't trust Nightwing. Iris obviously trusted Nightwing. She had an innate ability to quickly evaluate a person's qualities. However, did that ability apply in this case? Or had it been skewed by her worry about his health? And maybe even the fact that it had been Nightwing who had asked for her assistance the previous day?

But it wasn't just Iris. Both Barry and Hal vouched for Nightwing. He was a reserve member of the Justice League which meant the entire League trusted him. More importantly, he was part of the Bat family. Given recent events, Wally knew Batman redefined paranoid. So if Nightwing had earned even Batman's trust, what more was there?

Yet, it was the Batman factor that gave Wally the greatest heartburn. Barry and Hal had shared Iris' confrontation with the League. While Barry had downplayed the events, Hal hadn't. Batman's paranoia and need for control seemed to know no bounds. He was the reason why Iris wasn't trusted. He was the reason Wally's communication with the outside world had been stifled. And Nightwing was part of the Bat family. It was a fact Wally couldn't overlook.

If Batman distrusted Iris and Wally to the extent he obviously did, why had he agreed to this arrangement? Had he agreed because Nightwing would act as a spy of sorts? Would Nightwing relay everything that was said and done? Was all this a ploy in hopes that Wally would let his guard down and reveal everything to Nightwing about what had happened? Barry and Hal had repeatedly assured him that wasn't the case. While the League wanted to know what had happened, for now, they were willing to wait, even though they both noted that the League's patience would eventually run out.

Barry and Hal had also shared that Batman and Nightwing didn't always agree, that Nightwing didn't always follow Batman's orders, that the two men had gone for months at a time without speaking to each other. Unfortunately, neither Barry nor Hal could answer if Nightwing was following Batman's orders now. Batman's agreement seemed to indicate Nightwing was, but was Batman's agreement just the result of him realizing he had been in a no-win situation? Had he realized he needed to let Iris win at least once? Was Nightwing the factor that would swing control back to Batman?

Wally glanced at Nightwing. Another awkward silence had fallen between them. Nightwing had turned his attention to his smartphone, a smile played at his lips. "Does it work?"

Nightwing looked up. "What?"

"Your phone. Does it work?"

"Yeah," the other man answered slowly.

"Guess it's just mine then."

"Yours doesn't work? If it's broke, I can get you a new one."

"It works, but the League somehow blocks all signals to and from it. No calls. No texts. They even block email and social media, both on the phone and my laptop."

A slight frown appeared. "Why would they do that?"

"They don't trust me. Well, actually, they don't trust Iris, but since she's my aunt…"

Nightwing nodded. "Newspaper reporter, and she figured out who Barry and Hal were."

"Yeah." Wally paused. "Makes me wonder if I can really trust you." There. It was out in the open. Nightwing didn't appear surprised.

"I'm not sure how to answer that," the other man admitted. "Trust is something that's earned. It comes from shared experiences. We've just met."

"True, but I'm expected to trust you."

"Why do you say that?"

Wally shrugged. "You're a hero. That, in itself, denotes an automatic connotation of trust, or at least that's what is assumed should happen. Add to that, you've been blessed by Iris. You're my 'liaison.'" He tried not to spit out the word, but it was difficult. When a small smile tugged at Nightwing's lips, it was apparent he had failed.

"You really don't want me here, do you?"

"Honestly, no. I don't need a babysitter. And I don't need the stress of watching every single word I say." It's difficult enough around Barry and Hal, he thought.

"Well, I know you won't believe, me, but I'm not here to spy on you."

"Yeah, well…" Another round of silence fell. This one seemed more pronounced from the previous ones. For the briefest of moments, Wally wondered if he should have remained quiet on the subject. The thought quickly passed. The issue couldn't be overlooked. Now it was out in the open. What happened with it was yet to be seen.

"Catch."

Wally looked up to see a smartphone being tossed his way. He deftly caught it and looked at Nightwing questioningly.

"Text your aunt. Call her for that matter."

Wally stared at the phone in his hand. This is what he wanted. Communication with Iris. Communication with the outside world. Yet, to his own surprise, he hesitated. "What about your identity?" It seemed like an idiotic thing to ask. Obviously, Nightwing wasn't concerned. But given all the flack Iris was taking from outing Barry and Hal, Wally wanted to protect her.

"The ID shows NW."

Okay, the man's identity was safe. Still, the hesitation remained. "Won't you get in trouble? If they've blocked my phone, they're probably monitoring yours." It seemed absurd that he was concerned about Nightwing getting in trouble. Why should he care?

"If anyone's watching, it's Batman, and while I don't doubt he has the ability, he does have a twisted sense of personal boundaries. If it were a life or death situation, he'd look. Any other time, no. He and I have had our ups and downs over the years. I've earned this much."

"Wouldn't he consider your identity a life or death thing?"

"Yeah, he would," the hero admitted. "But while the ID will display NW, you can't track the phone. Yes, Batman and the League could, but anyone else, no. Even the FBI, CIA and Interpol would be at a loss. It's perfectly safe to use it."

One question remained. "Why?"

Nightwing shrugged. "Maybe it's a small step I can take toward gaining your trust."

Wally studied the other man. The mask hid his eyes, but everything else about him – his posture and tone of voice – suggested honesty. Still, Wally wondered if it were all an act. Even if it were true – if it weren't an act – if he could send Iris a text message or even call her – would he be in Nightwing's debt? Would it be a debt that would eventually be called? Was he facing a quid pro quo situation? Nightwing did something for him, and eventually he'd be expected to do something for Nightwing? Could he risk it?

Wally held out the phone. "Thanks, but no."

Nightwing looked surprised. "Wally, it's okay. It's-"

"Maybe another time. Hell, maybe even tomorrow. But not now."

As Nightwing took the phone, his gaze never left Wally's face. "Whenever you change your mind, just let me know."

Wally only nodded and tried not to think about what he had just given up. At least Nightwing was trying. Wally realized he owed Iris that much. He spoke before he could overanalyze what he was about to do. "He snapped his fingers."

Nightwing paused. "Excuse me?"

"That's what you want to know, isn't it?"

"What are you talking about?"

"How I ended up like this." He waved toward his legs. "I refuse to tell them what happened; they decide to use you instead."

"No one uses me."

"Yeah, right. You're part of the damn Bat family. He probably tells you to jump and you ask how high."

Again a smile played at Nightwing's lips. It was a reaction Wally hadn't expected to see. "Maybe when I was younger, but not now, definitely not now. Even though he no doubt wishes that was still the case."

Wally refused to be swayed by the lighthearted tone. "Why are you here? Why did you offer me your phone?"

"The phone wasn't a test. I didn't know what the League had done regarding your phone and computer. Had I known, I wouldn't have used mine. I didn't mean it to be a slap in your face. But since things are rather awkward, I thought I'd check to see if I had any messages. My two youngest brothers were fighting this morning. It started last night. Well, in truth, it started when they first met. They know exactly what buttons to push on each other. For whatever the reason, keeping the peace falls on my shoulders. Joys of being the oldest I guess." He shrugged. "As to why I'm here, I want to help. For better or worse, I saw the suffering you endured yesterday, saw the anguish on your aunt's face. If my presence can help diminish some of that, I'm willing to be here, even though given your attitude, I'm starting to have second thoughts."

Wally was uncertain how much to believe. He wanted to believe him. He desperately wanted to believe him. He also didn't want to be hurt.

"Look, despite appearances to the contrary, the League is concerned about you."

"They're only concerned about what I know, about what Iris and I might do."

Nightwing sighed. "It's obvious whatever I say isn't going to convince you that I'm legit. What do I need to do?"

"I don't know," he admitted. That was the crux of the problem. He fiddled with the blanket covering his legs. Again and again, Nightwing offered an olive branch when he had every right to treat Wally like the jerk Wally knew he was being. He decided to follow Nightwing's lead. "So, you have two brothers?"

"Three actually."

"Are all of you in the hero business?"

"Yeah, even though calling one of my brothers, the second oldest, a hero is pushing the truth at times. He has a tendency to cross the line. At times, my youngest brother seems to be following in his footsteps. He pushes the line on a regular basis, but thankfully hasn't crossed it for awhile."

"What line is being crossed?"

"No killing. To a lesser degree, no unnecessary force."

"How old is your youngest brother?"

"Eleven."

"And he's killed?"

Nightwing only nodded.

Wally's mind couldn't grasp the reality. An eleven-year-old who had killed? And Batman tolerated this? "Why is he allowed...why isn't he being punished?"

"He had a difficult childhood. We've been tolerant of his violent tendencies because it's how he was raised. We're working with him. He's improving. It's just a long, slow and very painful process."

"But, if he's your brother, weren't you raised the same way? Wouldn't you have these same violent tendencies?"

"No."

It was obvious Nightwing wasn't planning to elaborate. Was it "no" that they weren't raised the same way? Was it "no" that he didn't have the same violent tendencies? Was it "no" to both questions or just one of them? Wally pushed the issue. "But if Batman's your dad-"

"He's not."

Again, it wasn't the answer he had expected to hear. The logical answer was that Batman would be the father. The fact he wasn't added an interesting twist. If Batman wasn't the father, then maybe Nightwing was using the term "brother" rather loosely. "But you are talking about Robin, right?"

"Yes."

Wally's mind raced to make sense of everything. Nightwing referred to Robin as his brother, but yet they weren't brothers. Nor was Batman Nightwing's father. "Do your parents approve of you being a vigilante? Do they know?" Even if his own parents had been normal, loving parents, Wally couldn't imagine them approving of a vigilante lifestyle.

"They don't know, and I don't know if they would approve. I want to think that they would."

"So, you're lying to them? Keeping all of this a secret?"

"No. I can't tell them. They're dead. They were murdered when I was fourteen."

The words made Wally freeze. His guard had started to lower. He had been willing to give Nightwing a chance. But Nightwing had just slipped up. He had gone too far in his quest to find common ground. "Get out," Wally said tightly.

"What?"

"Get out! Leave!"

"Wally, what-" Confusion filled Nightwing's face and his voice.

"You were doing good, but you went too far. Did you think I'd open up more if your parents were dead, too?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. You asked about my parents. They're dead. They were murdered."

"Convenient."

"Convenient?! You think my parents being killed is convenient?!" asked Nightwing incredulously.

"I think it's convenient that we have similar backgrounds."

The words made Nightwing pause. "Your parents were murdered?"

"Don't act surprised."

"Wally, honestly, I didn't know."

"Gimme a break. The League has an entire file on me and Iris. They probably know things about me that even I don't know about myself."

"I don't know what you're talking about. I haven't seen any file. The only thing I've read was your medical file and I only did that because Batman asked me to help you."

"Yeah, right."

Nightwing removed his mask. A pair of bright blue eyes looked closely at Wally. "You honestly think I'm messing with you?" Indignation filled his voice. "You honestly think I'd make up a story about my parents being dead? About them being murdered?! I'd do anything to have them back. I'd give all of this up in an instant if it meant they could be alive." He turned away, running a hand through his hair.

Nightwing's obvious agitation and the pain in his voice supported the theory that the hero was telling the truth. On the flip side, though, it could also be a sign of Nightwing's acting abilities. If he had been blessed by Batman, if he were a reserve member of the Justice League, there was no doubt that Nightwing was good at what he did. What was his specialty? Was it undercover work? It seemed like it could be a distinct possibility. It would require solid acting skills. No matter what Barry or Hal had said, no matter that Iris had approved, Wally wasn't ready to take that chance. "Get out," Wally said quietly.

Nightwing did.

* * *

><p>"What do you want, Jordan?"<p>

Hal took the fact that he had been allowed to enter the cave as something positive. While it was probably a false sense of security, it was better than nothing. He briefly wondered if there would ever be a day when he wasn't on edge around Bruce. After five years of working together, he still didn't know Bruce that well. Hal was never quite sure how Bruce saw him – was it as a friend, an acquaintance or an annoyance? More times than not, Hal suspected it was the last. "What did you tell Dick? Did you let him see that file you found?"

Bruce looked away from the computer screen. The cowl was pulled back. For once, Hal could actually see Bruce's eyes. Strange how the actual gaze could be as cold as the white lenses. "No."

"Did Dick tell you what happened today?"

"No." The answer was unexpected. Given Bruce's obsession with the Wests, Hal had assumed that Bruce would have demanded a detailed account of everything that had occurred between Dick and Wally. Predictably, Bruce noticed Hal's reaction. "As I was told, Dick is not my spy," he noted dryly. "I'm respecting the League's wishes even if I don't approve of them."

"Yeah, I know, but still…"

"He has his own life," Bruce replied, his voice noticeably softer. The response was un-Bruce like. Hal sent a questioningly look at Bruce. The other man sighed. "I've learned the boys need their space. It doesn't mean I have to like it," he added.

Hal smiled.

"Your presence here indicates you know what happened between Dick and Wally. If I ask, will you tell me?"

Hal's gaze moved to the giant computer screen. The screen had been sectioned into five separate areas. The largest area showed a map of Gotham. Red dots denoted whatever activity Bruce was tracking. He used the delay to arrange his thoughts. While he had known Dick's introduction wouldn't magically make everything better, he hadn't expected Wally's surliness. Surely, Iris' approval, which he and Barry had specifically mentioned to Wally more than once, would have made Wally open to the idea. While that had seemed to be the case, at least initially, something had happened. "Wally's extremely upset. He accused me of showing Dick that file you found."

"Did he say why?"

"No. He just went on about how he thought he could trust me. When I questioned him, he'd only say that I had promised not to let anyone else see that file. He didn't believe me when I told him I hadn't. He called me a liar and refused to say anymore." Hal met Bruce's gaze. "You and I are the only ones who know about that file."

"So, you naturally assumed I gave it to Dick."

Hal shrugged. "Or Dick found it." The suggestion clearly irritated Bruce. Bruce had to know his boys weren't angels. Searching through Bruce's files, no matter how securely they were encrypted, wouldn't deter the boys. If anything, it would present a challenge to them.

Bruce tapped a button on the console. "Nightwing, report to the cave." With that action done, he turned his attention back to the computer screen.

Bruce actions indicated the conversation was on hold until Dick appeared. The soft sounds of dripping water and the rustling of the bats grated on Hal's nerves. While Bruce wouldn't appreciate small talk, Hal felt the need to fill the silence. "I'm surprised you allowed Dick to do this."

"He's an adult. As I said before, he has his own life. He makes his own decisions."

"And you don't try to influence those decisions?"

"…"

Hal smiled. A snarky comment was on the tip of his tongue, but he wisely remained silent. Barry would have been proud.

"You rang?" Dick appeared shortly, sandwich in hand. Hal noted that Dick didn't seem surprised to see him. Bruce hadn't seemed surprised either.

"Tell him I didn't give you any file or other information regarding Wally West," stated Bruce.

The statement – though command would be a better description – surprised Dick. "No, you didn't. I-"

Bruce looked at Hal. "There. You have your answer." With a few clicks on the keyboard, the screen went black. Bruce walked to the Batmobile and opened the door. His gaze traveled to Dick. "I expect to see you by the docks at eleven o'clock." He moved his gaze to Hal. "You know the way out." He pulled his cowl on, climbed into the car and sped off, leaving Hal and Dick to stare after him.

"I really don't know how you put up with him," Hal commented.

"At times I don't know either." With a deep breath, Dick looked at Hal. "So, I'm guessing you know why Wally got angry."

"I'm not sure. I have my suspicions, but Wally wouldn't give me specifics." Hal ran his hand over his face. "What were you talking about?"

Dick sighed. "We were talking about family. He asked if Batman was my dad. When I said no, he asked if my parents knew what I did. I said no, but that I thought they would approve. Then I explained that they had been murdered. That's when he ordered me to leave."

Everything suddenly made sense. No doubt Wally thought Dick's story about murdered parents was just that – a story. Wally probably thought Dick was telling a tale, trying to find common ground. Hal weighed how much he could or should tell Dick. He wanted to honor his promise to Wally, but Dick also needed to understand why Wally had grown angry.

"He's convinced that I'm a spy," continued Dick. "That whatever he tells me, I'll report back to the League. He has this notion the League is out to get him."

"Well, he has his reasons for that belief. Bruce hasn't exactly endeared himself to either Wally or Iris."

Dick's gaze narrowed. "Wally told me about the communication lockdown. What else did he do?" With a deep breath, Hal brought Dick up to speed on Iris' suspicions and Bruce's reaction. "That explains the tension when all of you returned. It also explains Bruce's recent obsession with our identities. But it doesn't explain Wally's reaction." Dick looked closely at Hal. "Wally's parents are dead."

"Yes."

"It wasn't an accident, was it."

"Not really." Hal's respect for Dick grew when the younger man grew silent. Dick was sharp. He would put the pieces together.

"What's this file you and Bruce were talking about?"

"Wally and Iris had been kidnapped by a researcher named Malcolm Thawne. Turns out Thawne had thoroughly researched Wally's background."

"Why?"

"We don't know, but I showed Wally the file. I promised him that no one would read that file."

"Did you read it?"

"No."

"Did he have a similar file on Iris?"

Hal noted that Dick didn't ask whether Bruce had read the file. "Not that we know of, even though it wouldn't surprise me if he did."

Dick sighed. "All of you had good intentions, but you put both Wally and I in an awkward position. You can't force a friendship."

Hal silently agreed.

"Wally isn't making it easy. I'm trying to be patient. I realize he's going through a lot, but, honestly, even I have my limit. I'll try a bit longer, but if his attitude doesn't change, I have other things I could be doing."

"I understand. Thanks for agreeing to give it a try in the first place."

"Iris is a persuasive woman."

"That she is."

"I know I need to find a way to gain his trust, prove to him that I'm not a spy. When I learned about the communication lockdown, I offered him my phone, suggested he could contact Iris. For a second, I thought he would, but he didn't. I know it was partly due to that fact that he doesn't trust me. I could tell by the look on his face that he thought it was some sort of trap. But he also seemed worried about me getting in trouble. Assuring him it wouldn't be the first time or the last time didn't seem to matter."

Hal smiled wryly at Dick's last comment. It sounded like Wally. Hell, it sounded like something Barry would do as well.

"I wish I knew what to do. I don't think even Diana's lasso of truth would convince him I'm not a spy."

Dick was correct. Wally was suspicious of every word and action taken. He'd no doubt also question Diana. Perhaps Diana couldn't change Wally's mind, but Hal knew someone who could. Iris. But to get Iris involved meant he had to beat, or at least confront, the Bat. To do that, he needed Dick's help. "I have an idea."


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: These characters aren't mine.

A/N: This story is AU. See Chapter 1 for details.

* * *

><p>The connection ended. Iris stared at the black screen. She felt numb. She felt physically and emotionally exhausted. The last time she had felt this way had been years in the past when Wally had first come to live with her. Those had been trying times. Never in her wildest dreams had she thought she would ever relive them.<p>

"Iris, I'll take you back to Keystone now."

She turned toward the voice. Hal stood behind her in full Green Lantern costume, even the mask. Despite the mask, she could see the worry on his face and hear it in his voice. He had heard everything that had been said, some of which she wished he hadn't. "Have you ever worn the lasso?" The experience had been unnerving. Wonder Woman's lasso of truth made it physically impossible to lie. It demanded the absolute truth. How it worked, Iris couldn't even begin to comprehend. It defied logic. Calling it magic seemed too easy of a cop-out. Besides, her mind simply refused to accept magic as the answer. Yet, how else could it be explained? Even if she had wanted to, she would have been unable to lie. It was as simple as that.

As unnerving as the experience had been, at least Wonder Woman hadn't been present. For whatever reason, the female hero made Iris feel insecure. It was a feeling she was not used to experiencing. Dealing with those insecurities on top of her worries about Wally would have simply been too much. Instead, it had been just her and Hal…which had proven to be bad enough.

"No, at least not officially." A wry smile appeared. "But I have touched it accidentally," he admitted. "Revealed a few things I would have rather left unsaid."

"Well, we now have that in common." Hal had heard things she wished had remained unspoken. She wasn't proud of what she had done. Only Wally had known the truth. And revealing the depth of his hurt and anger, he had used that knowledge to hurt her. Worse, by the look that had been on his face at the time, she knew it had been intentional.

The goal had been to further reassure Wally that he could trust Nightwing. While Barry and Hal had previously reassured Wally of Nightwing's integrity, Wally had dismissed those efforts due to the hero's honesty. From Wally's point of view, it was too much of a coincidence that Nightwing's parents had also been killed when he was a teenager. Iris didn't blame Wally. The odds were extremely small. It seemed unreal that they would have such a horrific experience in common. Even she had expressed surprise, but Barry had insisted it was the truth.

To achieve the goal, Hal and Nightwing had devised a simple plan involving the lasso of truth. Nightwing would wear the lasso and answer any questions Wally had. No questions would be off limits. The lasso would require Nightwing to tell the truth. Wally could put his doubts to rest. End of story.

But things were never that simple. To Hal's credit, the Green Lantern had realized that fact. For the plan to be successful, they needed to prove to Wally that the lasso of truth really worked. If Iris had her doubts, she could easily imagine the doubts Wally would have. As a result, the plan consisted of three parts. Iris played a role in the first and second parts.

The first part required Wally to wear the lasso. The experience would help him understand how it felt to wear the lasso and what it did. Iris had provided the questions – and answers – that Hal had asked. She had purposefully kept them light-hearted and away from anything Wally might view as embarrassing.

The second part required her to wear the lasso. Wally would ask the questions. Wally had not felt the same compunction when testing the lasso's effect on her. Wally had known Hal was nearby, yet he had pointedly asked her what her first impressions of Hal had been. The question had embarrassed her, but it had paled in comparison to his next question. That question had required her to reveal why she had truly conducted background checks on Barry and Hal. She had tried to dance around the truth, but Wally and the lasso had refused to cooperate. She had been compelled to say things she would have rather left unsaid.

For the final part, Nightwing would wear the lasso. Iris prayed Wally would accept the answers. She also desperately hoped he would take the high road and not purposefully betray Nightwing's secrets. After the events so far, she honestly didn't know if he would or wouldn't.

Perhaps things would have gone better if she had seen Wally in person. Instead, they had been limited to computer screens. It wasn't the same. The little nuances were missing. She and Wally knew how to read each other…probably too well. But computer screens didn't allow the scrutiny that was needed. Likewise, the microphones dulled any subtle changes in tone. Instead, she was left with the impression of her nephew being cold and heartless.

To complicate matters even more, Hal had insisted that the meeting take place in what he had termed a secure facility. Considering they wouldn't be meeting in-person, it seemed like a moot point, but Hal had been immoveable. As a result, she had been required to use the teleporter. She had tried to persuade him that he could fly her there. It hadn't worked. Worse, she discovered that the teleportation experience did not improve with experience. Consequently, she hadn't been at her peak when she had seen her nephew.

"Iris, it doesn't matter," Hal replied, his hand resting lightly on her shoulder. "We've all done and said things we regret."

She lightly squeezed his hand. Hal's insight seemed a bit surreal. It reminded her that she didn't know him as nearly well as she thought she did. The man he portrayed on the outside was not always reflective of the man on the inside.

"So, do you think we convinced Wally on the integrity of the lasso?"

"I think so." She had to believe. There was no other option. She knew what would happen if he didn't talk. It had already begun. The surliness was one sign. The increasing paranoia was another. From experience, she knew it would only get worse. It wasn't a comforting thought. "Wally's so…angry…bitter."

"I know. I try to remember that when I see him, but he doesn't make it easy."

"He was the same when he first came to live with me. He pushed and pushed and pushed. He's trying to hide that he's scared. It's a side of him that I had hoped to never see again." Iris sighed. There was nothing she could do except pray for the best. Hal and Nightwing and the League were doing what they could to gain Wally's trust. Which did raise one interesting question. "Did Batman approve of all this? I thought I was banned from communicating with Wally."

Hal smiled. "Technically, you are, but this is one of the perks of having Nightwing on our side. Nightwing handled the Bat. Considering my security code worked, whatever he said or did worked."

"He sounds like such a joy to work with," she commented.

"He doesn't make life easy, but I'd rather have him on my side than against me."

Iris shook her head, a smile briefly appearing. She stood and stretched. "May I ask where we are? Or is that classified information?" For all she knew, they had only teleported to another location in either Central City or Keystone City.

He smiled. "Nondescript warehouse Detroit."

The nondescript warehouse part seemed fitting since she had left a nondescript warehouse in Keystone. But Detroit? Why Detroit? It seemed an odd choice. She'd question Barry later. Chances were better that she'd get a straight answer from him compared to Hal. "And Wally? Is he here, too?" It wouldn't surprise her to learn that despite the need to use computer screens, Wally was just down the hallway.

"No."

"So, where is he?" Hal remained silent. Iris frowned. "Hal, where is he?"

"Iris, he's safe. He's just not here."

Her patience waned. "Where. Is. He."

Hal's gaze moved to a spot over her right shoulder. "The Watchtower."

The name was unfamiliar. "The what?"

"The Watchtower. It's the League's headquarters."

No doubt Hal had just revealed information he wasn't supposed to reveal, particularly to her. No doubt Batman would strongly disapprove. Still, that knowledge didn't stop her from pushing. "Where is it?"

Hal sighed. "At the moment, somewhere over the Pacific Ocean."

"Hal."

"Space. Approximately twenty-two thousand three hundred miles up."

"A space station?"

Hal shrugged. "I suppose you could call it that. We consider it a satellite."

A satellite. In space. He said it all so nonchalantly, as if it were no big deal. Suddenly Detroit didn't seem as odd. "Why…" The word had barely left her lips when she swiftly paled. If Wally was in space…and she had seen Wally…then she had been in space. Her legs felt weak.

Hal grabbed her arm to steady her. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I…I just realized I had been in space, too." He nodded. She took a steadying breath and disengaged her arm from his grasp. She wasn't yet ready to deal with the concept of being in outer space and what that all might mean so she settled on Detroit. "Apart from the question of why Detroit of all places, can't you just fly me back to Keystone and we can avoid that whole teleporter thing?"

He grinned. "You really don't like the teleporter, do you."

"No, I don't."

"Well, I suppose I could fly you back, but I really don't think Barry would appreciate it," he said softly.

"Ah. So you are aware of his insecurities around you."

"Yeah. I am. Put him in those red pajamas or in a laboratory and he's completely sure of himself. Put him in civvies and he wears every single one of his insecurities on his arm. They really came to the forefront when he started dating you. I've told him he's an idiot, but you can't rationalize with him when it comes to you. If only he'd understand that there are just as many times that I'm jealous of him." Hal paused briefly. "He's going to ask you."

"I know." Marriage. She and Barry had circled the topic more than once. At times the thought scared her. She had never seriously considered it because it didn't seem like something that would ever happen for her. Even as a child, she had never pretended to be a bride. It seemed silly. Then Barry had come along. With Barry, the thought of marriage wasn't as scary anymore, at least not compared to the thought of spending her life without Barry. God, when had she become such a sappy romantic? It definitely wasn't her, but she also couldn't deny how she felt.

"You learning his identity helped. He wanted to tell you. He just didn't know how. He was scared that if he did, he would lose you. I couldn't convince him otherwise."

"I know." She and Barry had talked in-depth about the implications of her knowledge. A part of him still worried about her safety. She knew a part of him always would. But that part seemed to be balanced against the greater comfort he had in no longer having to lie about his dual identity. He could share his entire life with her.

"He's obsessing over whether he should ask your father or Wally before he asks you, get their permission, or at least let them know his intentions. I told him to talk to Wally."

Iris smiled. By the tone of Hal's voice, she could tell the man believed Barry was making an issue out of nothing. Wally would be relieved that Barry was finally moving ahead. In her nephew's mind, she and Barry should have been engaged months already; wedding plans should be well under way. "Part of why I did what I did was because I was scared." If Hal were being honest, she could be honest as well.

"Iris, it doesn't matter."

She continued as if he hadn't spoken. "There was something different about Barry. He was unlike any of the other men I had dated. Deep down, I knew he was probably the one. But that thought terrified me. I didn't want to get hurt, so I dug. Your friendship, at least on the surface, seemed so out of place. It didn't make sense." She shrugged. "I was looking for a reason to run."

"Well, I can honestly say I'm glad you didn't. Barry would have driven me insane if you had."

Iris laughed.

"So, are you ready to go back?"

She nodded.

"Keep your eyes open. It helps."

She did. It did.

* * *

><p>"I didn't expect to you again."<p>

Nightwing shrugged. "Guess I'm a glutton for punishment."

Wally rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to his computer. Inwardly, he chastised himself for the attitude. Nightwing was only trying to help. Worse, he continually pictured the hurt look on Iris' face when he had forced her to give her reasons about conducting the background checks on Barry and Hal. It had been a low blow, especially considering Hal had been there. He didn't know – and definitely didn't like – this person he had suddenly become. He had to change. He had to start trusting. But it was all so much easier said than done.

"Besides," the hero continued, "I'm here to prove to you that I'm telling the truth. You get ten questions." He looked up in surprise. Nightwing noticed. "You must have realized there was a reason we were proving the lasso's capabilities to you."

He had. He had thought it was to prove Iris' honesty as it related to Nightwing. If he believed Iris, he would have to believe Barry and Hal, which meant he would have to trust Nightwing. Had things truly deteriorated to the point that he no longer trusted Iris? Obviously, Hal and Iris felt that were the case. If he were honest with himself, a part of him believed it as well. Hell, the fact he had embarrassed her in front of Hal was proof. He had justified the question by telling himself it would really prove the lasso's effectiveness. He had been lying to himself. He had only wanted to hurt her. The only thing that would have made it better was if Barry had been present rather than Hal.

There was one question he hadn't asked her. Did she believe the League was telling her the truth? Barry may be incapable of telling a lie, but Hal definitely wasn't. Chances were the rest of the League was more like Hal than Barry. Still, he hadn't asked the question. He wasn't sure why. Perhaps the hurt expression on her face had been enough. Asking another question would have only served to worsen their relationship. It would have proven nothing.

Now he was facing a similar situation. Before he could question Nightwing further, the door opened and Hal entered. In his hand the Green Lantern held the lasso. Wally watched in silence as Nightwing sat in a chair. Hal slipped a loop of the rope around Nightwing's wrist. Then Hal looked at Wally. Wally tried not to shiver. Even though a mask hid his eyes, Hal's face was devoid of emotion. "Can you trust me that this is the real lasso and not just a piece of rope?" Sarcasm filled his voice.

Wally nodded.

"Good. If you don't mind, I'll excuse myself. I don't need to hear any more embarrassing revelations."

"Hal…I'm sorry."

"I'm not the one you need to apologize to." Hal turned and left the room.

Nightwing casually adjusted the rope around his wrist. "Dare I ask?"

Wally sighed. "No." He closed his laptop and pushed it to the side. "So, ten questions?"

"Yep."

"I can ask anything?"

"Yep. Whatever you ask, I'll be forced to answer."

Wally realized the full extent of the power he had over Nightwing. He could learn the other man's identity. He could learn Batman's identity, probably even Superman's. And what would it prove? Nothing…except that Nightwing was trusting him to make the right decision. "How did your parents die?"

"Their equipment was sabotaged. They fell to their deaths."

Equipment failure. Falling to death. The list of questions associated with both statements was almost endless. He ignored them all. "How old were you?"

"Fourteen."

One more basic question and he would have enough information to learn Nightwing's identity. It would only require the most basic of internet searches. And it would abolish any chance of a friendship. "How old were you when you started doing this?"

Nightwing didn't try to hide his surprise. Wally's question was not the one he had expected to hear. "What do you mean? Being a hero? Or being Nightwing?"

"They're different?"

"Yes."

"Being a hero."

"Almost sixteen. Someone insisted I have my temps first. I'm not sure why it mattered since I was violating almost every condition tied to the temps, but there was no getting around it. He's a stickler for details."

"So you were…?"

"The original Robin. Robin 1.0." A smile filled his face. Pride filled his voice.

"And you became Nightwing when you were?"

"Eighteen."

"Why?"

"Why did I become Nightwing? Or why did I become a hero?"

"Both I guess."

"That's going to cost you two questions. By my count, your next question is number eight." He shifted his position in the chair. "The facts would suggest that I became Nightwing because he fired me from being Robin. And they're partly right. But I had outgrown Robin. Not that there's an age requirement, but it was more that I was his first Robin. I was an adult and he was refusing to acknowledge that fact. We were arguing on a near constant basis because I had the audacity to question his decisions. Then I was shot. He immediately fired me. I immediately moved out, which looking back, only exacerbated things." He shrugged indifferently. "As to why I do what I do, I want to help others. It's as simple as that."

"Even if it costs you your life?"

"It's part of the bargain."

"Was that the first time you were shot?"

"No, that's the ironic part. I'd been hurt before – shot, knifed, beaten, drugged." He shrugged. "Injuries are part of the job. But that time I think it was more who shot me than the fact I had been shot."

"Who shot you?"

"You sure you want to ask that? It's your last question."

Wally smiled. "I'm sure."

"The Joker."

The smile left Wally's face. The Joker. Even Central City had heard about the Joker. Wally doubted few places in the U.S. hadn't heard of him. In Central City, there was general relief that the criminal was Gotham's problem. Wally guessed most other places shared that same thought.

"So, do you get scared?" Being shot, knifed, beaten, drugged…facing the likes of the Jokers and countless other villains…yet the other man spoke as if it were just everyday occurrences.

Nightwing slipped the lasso off his wrist and laid it on the floor. He looked at Wally carefully. Wally wondered if the hero would answer or if he would hold to the ten question rule. He inwardly sighed in relief when Nightwing spoke. "If I'm honest with myself, yes. But it's something I don't focus on. I'm trained. I was trained by one of the best, if not the best. If the situation scares me, I can only imagine what everyone else must be feeling. I need to make them feel safe, believe that everything is under control, or that I at least have some idea of what I'm doing, even when I'm flying by the seat of my pants." Nightwing paused. "Are you scared?"

"Who wouldn't be? I don't know if I'll ever be able to walk again. I don't know if I'll ever be able to live without pain. Hell, I don't even know if the pain will ever reach a point where I can live without the help of a Martian." Wally sighed. "I'm a speedster who can't move."

"They're going to find a way to fix your legs."

"That sure, are you?"

"I'm a hopeless optimist at times. The cup is always half full."

"You seem to be in the wrong business."

Nightwing grinned. "You have met Barry Allen, right?"

Wally returned the smile. "Okay, you win that point." The small bit of banter felt good.

"So, when you're back to whatever was considered normal for you-"

"Ouch."

Nightwing's grin broadened. "-are you going to become part of the hero business? Flash 2.0? You have a built-in mentor, and from what I know of Barry, he'd be a very good teacher."

Wally couldn't deny what Nightwing said. Barry would be a patient and understanding mentor. "If I did, it wouldn't be Flash 2.0."

"There aren't any rules against it, nothing that says there can only be one Flash. We're on Robin 4.0, even though there was never more than one Robin at a single time. But there are 7,200 Green Lanterns, and more than one from Earth."

"It's not that." Wally hesitated. He needed to make the leap. He needed to accept Nightwing. He needed to fully trust the hero. Maybe that should have been his first question – can I trust you? It was too late now. He doubted he could convince Nightwing to wear the lasso again. Besides, not asking the question showed some level of trust, didn't it? "What happened to me…I don't think the results are exactly the same as what happened to Barry."

Nightwing frowned. "What do you mean? Have you asked him?"

"Not directly," Wally answered slowly. "But from what the media – Iris – has reported and what he's told me he can do, I…" He paused, thankful Nightwing appeared content to wait. "I feel something." He laughed nervously. "Maybe it's the Force, but I'm not Luke Skywalker." The comment didn't cause Nightwing to smile. "I haven't asked Barry directly because frankly I'm scared of the answer. What if something is different? What if…god, I don't know." He ran his hand through his hair.

"What exactly are you feeling?"

"I don't know how to describe it. It feels like something is just out of my reach, but if I focus, I could touch it." He fiddled with the blanket. "Do you know the Law of Conservation of Energy?"

Nightwing frowned in concentration. "Something like energy is never created or destroyed, isn't it?"

"Yeah, that's it. It's the first law of thermodynamics. Energy can't be created or destroyed, but it can change forms."

"And that's important to know because…?"

Words couldn't do justice to what he needed to explain. He needed action. A rolling pen or falling piece of paper didn't seem sufficient. Besides, after Nightwing had left the previous day, Wally had continued his musings. He still hadn't decided if it was good or bad, but he had discovered stealing momentum – speed – wasn't the only thing he could do. He had also discovered, that with practice, it was getting easier and easier to touch 'it,' whatever the hell it was. Calling it the Force didn't seem that far off. "If you come back tomorrow, bring along a package of ping pong balls."

"Ping pong balls?"

"If you wouldn't mind."

Nightwing shook his head and smiled. "Well, now I have to come back just to see why you need ping pong balls."

Wally decided to try to avoid any more discussion and deftly switched topics. "So, if I decide to become a hero, any rules I should know about?" He breathed a small sigh of relief when Nightwing followed his lead.

"Rule number one, whatever you do, don't tug on Superman's cape."

Wally fought against a grin. Even though he recognized the phrase, it seemed an odd thing to say. Worse, it seemed like something Iris would say if she were testing someone. Iris preferred acquaintances with a quick wit. Correctly responding to that phrase would impress her. Could the same be said of Nightwing? Was he now testing Wally? "Yeah, I can see how that might be important. It's sort of up there with not spitting into the wind."

The hero nodded sagely. "You got that right. And you definitely don't want to pull the mask of the Lone Ranger."

"Always good advice. But, I'm guessing that above all, I don't want to mess around with Jim. Even though maybe in this case it should be don't mess with Batman. His name isn't Jim, is it?"

A smile blossomed on Nightwing's face. "No. And for once, being a glutton for punishment seems to be working out. I think they may have made a serious miscalculation when they decided I should be your liaison."

Wally silently hoped that would be the case. "Sorry about yesterday."

Nightwing waved his hand. "Forget it. I understand to a point. I have to admit, though, that I thought your questions would've been a little more hard hitting."

"Like what's your name?"

"Yeah, that would be one."

Wally blew out a breath. "It was tempting, but what would it have proved? You were forced to tell me the truth, even though I really cannot comprehend how that thing works."

"Magic. You learn to accept it no matter how many physical laws it breaks."

"Yeah, I guess. But forcing you to tell me who you are wouldn't exactly earn your trust, nor would it prove that I could trust you."

"You could have asked that question – 'can I trust you?'"

"And what would that have proved? All I've managed to do so far is tick off Hal, treat you like a criminal, and…and even treat Iris like shit. And all any of you are trying to do is help me." He sighed. "Deep down I get that, but it's hard to be patient and understanding when I'm stuck here, unable to move, and at the grace of a Martian." He rubbed his face with his hands. It was the first time he had verbalized, even on a global scale, everything that had happened. It seemed unreal. "God…in a matter of hours I was kidnapped, tortured, turned into a speedster, met a Martian, learned Barry and Hal are superheroes, learned Batman has issues with me and Iris…" He shook his head. His gaze traveled to meet the other man's gaze. "It's all a little much to comprehend."

"Fair enough. And know that one of my roles is to listen. Whatever you tell me stays between us unless you say I can share it. So, you want to talk, talk. I probably won't have any answers, but sometimes talking seems to be enough, or at least it is for me. Much to Batman's chagrin," he added with a smile. "More than once I've been told I talk too much."

Wally returned the smile. Time passed quickly. Whether consciously or unconsciously, they had talked about seemingly everything except what had happened, heroes in general, and their childhoods. Nightwing had shared many stories about life with three brothers, a guardian who seemed at a complete loss on how to handle four boys, and a grandfather-like man who managed to keep the household intact. Wally had countered with stories about Ira. Numerous times laughter had filled the room.

"Don't forget the ping pong balls," Wally noted as Nightwing prepared to leave.

Nightwing smiled and tapped the side of his head. "Definitely won't. I'll also bring along what have to be the world's best chocolate chip cookies." The hero paused by the door, fixing his mask over his eyes. "One more thing, my name's Dick."

* * *

><p>AN: Kudos to those who passed Nightwing's test. For more info, listen to You Don't Mess Around with Jim by Jim Croce. Additional kudos to those who recall Justice League Detroit.


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: These characters aren't mine.

A/N: This story is AU. See Chapter 1 for details.

* * *

><p>"You look like hell," Dick commented, handing Wally a plastic bag.<p>

"Gee, thanks," Wally replied, placing the bag to the side. What Dick said was true. It had been a long night. What little sleep he had managed to get had been fitful. At least there hadn't been any nightmares. It was a small blessing.

As soon as Dick had left the previous day, Wally had used the information Dick had dropped to uncover the truth. It hadn't been difficult. It hadn't taken long. In his quest for knowledge, though, he hadn't considered whether he really wanted to know. If only he had realized the knowledge would be a burden. At the time, though, it had seemed like a no-brainer. Barry Allen was the Flash. Hal Jordan was a Green Lantern. Knowing their identities didn't give him heartburn. Knowing who Nightwing – Dick – was would be reassuring. Or so he had thought.

Dick – Richard – Grayson was Nightwing. He had been the first Robin. He had been in the circus, part of an aerial act with his mother and father. It was everything Dick had said. But the information didn't end there. Uncovering Dick's identity had been a turning point. Wally hadn't considered how the facts would lead to uncovering Batman or the rest of the Bat family's identities. The heartburn had begun, and, unfortunately, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't eradicate the information from his mind.

Bruce Wayne was Batman. Bachelor. Billionaire. CEO of Wayne Enterprises. Batman's paranoia suddenly made sense. If his identity became public, it would be a media feeding frenzy. The same could not be said of Barry or Hal. Both men would probably have their fifteen minutes of fame and then the media's attention would turn elsewhere. The same would not happen with Bruce Wayne. He was too well-known. His every word and action would be examined. So would everything he didn't say or do. His life would be turned upside down and inside out which would directly impact his family, his company, thousands of Wayne Enterprise employees, and countless others who benefited from Bruce Wayne's philanthropy.

Knowing Batman's identity complicated matters. Had Dick realized that would happen? Probably. Then again, did he really know Batman's identity? Yes, Bruce Wayne was Batman. But who was Bruce Wayne? From the little time Wally had spent with Dick, he knew Dick's persona was really Dick. It wasn't a front or an act. But Batman? The media described Bruce Wayne was a thrill-seeking bachelor who seemed to be a few cards short of a full deck. That image was nothing close to the dark, brooding Batman who terrorized the criminals in Gotham City. Nor did it explain how he could be CEO of a highly successful international company. Which image was real?

"You're not looking too great yourself," Wally commented. "Rough night?" Knowing Bruce Wayne was Batman wasn't the only thing that had made sleep elusive. Learning more about Dick had resulted in Wally worrying. In his quest for information, he had run across numerous articles about various accidents Bruce Wayne and his sons had endured. The accidents were obviously cover-ups for the times when the injuries were serious. What were they thinking? They were regular, normal men. They didn't have superpowers. Yet on a nightly basis they battled bad guys, some of whom did have superpowers. They weren't bullet proof or fireproof or any type of proof. They didn't have super speed or super strength. They were regular flesh and blood. Seeing the start of Dick's black eye brought it even closer to home. Every time they put on their costumes and masks might be the last time. How did – how could – they do it?

Dick gently touched the skin near his left eye. It was slightly swollen and discolored. He smiled. "Not what you think. I was roughhousing with my brothers. They needed to burn off some steam. I was tired. I lost track of an elbow. End of story."

The information made him feel slightly better. It also provided an opening. "Tim and Damian?"

Wally's newfound knowledge didn't surprise Dick. "Yes."

"You told me you have three brothers. There's also a Jason, but everything I could find said he died several years ago. Yet you talk as if you have three brothers who are alive."

"I do."

Wally's mind quick searched through the facts he had read. Dick had been an only child when his parents had died. There had been no mention of Bruce Wayne adopting or serving as a foster parent to any other boys besides Dick, Jason and Tim. Another biological son? It seemed unlikely. That left only one possibility. "Jason isn't dead?"

"No, at least not anymore."

Anymore? "What?"

Dick sighed. "Well, if you know our identities, you may as well know the Reader's Digest version of Jason. He did die. He was killed by the Joker. There was a funeral. He was buried. It was a bad time for all of us. But somehow…well, he's alive again. No one quite knows how, not even Jason."

"And he's the one who crosses the line."

"Jason has anger issues. He had them before he died, but they're worse now. He was less than thrilled to learn Batman hadn't killed the Joker in revenge. To complicate matters, there are times he'll help, though if you acknowledge he's helping, he'll go ballistic. The only one who can ask him for help directly is Alfred, even though I think he's developing a soft spot for Damian."

"And he also has a tendency to cross the line?"

"Unfortunately. Damian has the potential to turn into another Jason. We're working on him and making progress. It's just very slow and painful. He hasn't killed anyone recently, but he continues to have a problem with excessive force."

"And he's eleven?"

"Scary, isn't it?"

One of the understatements of the year. A couple seconds of silence passed before Wally switched topics. "How do you think of him?"

"Of Bruce?"

"Yeah."

"Batman is a persona, though it could be argued that Bruce Wayne is also a persona." Dick shrugged. "He's Bruce. I don't call him dad. I had a dad. Bruce understands. He's a father figure, big brother, friend and mentor all rolled into one. Our relationship is complicated, almost as complicated as Bruce and Jason's relationship. But I know he'll always be there for me and I'll always be there for him. No questions asked."

It sounded like his relationship with Iris, except that she didn't wear a cowl and cape. "And what's going to happen when he finds out that I know?"

"To you? Nothing except maybe a few glares and perhaps a lecture. To me?" Dick shrugged again. "He'll question my loyalty and my intellect. There'll probably be some yelling. The infamous 'what were you thinking?' That sort of thing. Nothing new. The waters will just be rough for awhile."

"Sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry about. It was my decision."

"You're rather blasé about it."

"If I didn't think you could handle the information, I wouldn't have given you the clues. And if I didn't think I couldn't handle his reaction, I wouldn't have said anything either. Besides, his bark is worse than his bite. He's mellowed from when I first started." Dick paused and nodded toward the bag, a smile quickly appearing. "You gonna look?"

Wally eyed the man closely. His blue eyes twinkled. There was a sudden hint of impatience. "What are you like at Christmas?"

"You really don't want to know."

Wally opened the bag and removed an unopened package of six ping pong balls and a tin of what he assumed were the famous chocolate chip cookies. "Thanks." He set the bag and tin to the side and fiddled with the package of ping pong balls. Silence descended. He needed to open it and move on. Yet, he hesitated. Once he did this, there would be no turning back. But hadn't that been the same with Dick? Once Dick had told Wally his name, there had been no turning back.

"Is whatever you have planned with the ping pong balls related to him snapping his fingers?" Dick's words broke through his reverie. Wally looked sharply at Dick. The other man only shrugged. "You mentioned it the first time, well, I guess it was technically the second time, we met. You motioned toward your legs and said that he snapped his fingers. Before I could ask any questions, you got a little snitty. I tried to be lighthearted, but you kicked me out."

He had forgotten he had told Dick. It had been said in the heat of the moment. He and Iris were alike in so many ways. How many times had she complained about her owns words coming back to haunt her? Perhaps it was time to face the truth. Denying it would prove nothing. He nodded.

"Thawne snapped his fingers and broke your legs. How is that even possible? And what does that have to do with ping pong balls?"

"It wasn't Dr. Thawne." There. He had said it. It was out in the open. There was no turning back.

Dick studied him closely. "Neither you nor Iris ever mentioned another person being there."

"Iris doesn't know. He came after she left. As for me…I haven't talked about what happened…until now." Time moved so slowly. It felt as if months had passed. It felt as if everything were ancient history, when in reality not even a week had passed since his world had been turned upside down.

Taking a deep breath, Wally slowly recounted the events of that day. The three attempts. Telling Iris to go for help. Thawne trying the experiment on himself. "It didn't work. I can still hear his screams. I can still smell the burnt flesh." Wally unconsciously shuddered at the memory, again wondering why the experiment had worked on him and Barry but no one else. What was different about him and Barry? What did they share in common?

"I remember praying Iris would hurry, that help would arrive soon. Thankfully, his screams stopped. He must have passed out. I remember lying there wondering what I was going to do. He had shot out my knees. I could drag myself, but where? How far? Five, maybe ten, minutes passed. Then a man suddenly appeared." Wally recalled his surprise at seeing the man. At first, he had thought it was an illusion. Then he had thought help had arrived. He would soon realize how wrong that assumption had been.

"He ignored me at first and went straight to Dr. Thawne. He seemed relieved to find Dr. Thawne still alive. Then he looked at me, told me help would be arriving soon. What he said next…it didn't make much sense. It still doesn't."

"What did he say?"

"The universe needs the Allens, the Wests and also the Thawnes, even though the Thawnes would haunt the speedsters for years to come. If any of them were removed from the equation, bad things happened. Somehow the speedsters were key to various crises."

Wally paused and gathered his thoughts. Dick remained silent. Wally was grateful Dick was allowing him to tell the story at his own pace. "Then he apologized. He told me he wished he didn't have to do what he was about to do, but that it had to be done, that the pain and suffering would make me a better hero. He said he had tried to avoid this, but it wasn't an option. I needed to suffer through it…and that I would thank him later." Wally took a shaky breath. "He placed his hand next to my legs. He said I taught him this trick. Then he snapped his fingers."

Wally closed his eyes at the memory. Even now, his heart had started to pound in his chest. "I had thought the pain couldn't get any worse. I was wrong. I screamed." Wally looked down at his legs. "What he did…it bothered him. He had tears in his eyes. He apologized again and again. He picked up Dr. Thawne and then told me…" Wally paused again. At the time, he had thought the man had said "help would be there soon." Recounting the events – reliving it in his mind – he realized the man had said something else. He met Dick's gaze. "He told me Hal would be there soon."

Another point for the time travel argument. Until now, he still hadn't fully convinced himself that the man had been from the future. But how else could he have known Hal would be the one to find Wally? A time traveler was the only logical explanation. Wally rubbed his hands over his face. "God, my life is truly a mess when time travel is the only logical explanation," he muttered.

"Logic doesn't always have a place in what we do."

"It's eerie how you just naturally assume I'm going to join this twisted world you are part of."

"Call it intuition. Why do you think it was time travel?"

Taking a code name, wearing a spandex, being a hero…he wasn't ready to commit. Besides, he still couldn't walk or even stand. Was he ready to believe what the man had said? Did he have a choice? "What else could it be? He knew about me. He knew about Barry. He referenced future events. And he said Hal would be there soon. Hal. How did he know Hal would be the one to find me?"

"Did he say anything else?"

Guilt washed over him. He had nothing to feel guilty about, but it didn't matter. Every time he recalled what the guy had said, he always felt guilty. "He told me I'd be greater than Barry ever was, that I would set the bar for future speedsters."

Dick's expression softened. "Wally, there's nothing wrong with that if it's true. It won't bother Barry. Barry has an ego. Hell, all of us who wear costumes do, but it's a healthy ego. Most of us do what we do to help others. We don't want the fame, and if history overlooks us, so be it." Wally knew Dick was right. Barry wouldn't care. But that knowledge didn't make the words any easier to accept. "How did snapping his fingers break your legs?"

The other shoe was about to fall. "It created a very focused sonic boom."

Once again the information didn't seem to faze Dick. "Another speedster."

Damn. Wally had hoped Dick would suggest another alternative. It was idiotic to think someone could create a sonic boom by snapping their fingers. It wasn't logical, but as Dick had noted, things didn't always follow the logical course. "From the future," he added.

Dick ignored the remark. "Would you recognize this guy if you saw him again?"

"Yeah." The man had done nothing to hide his identity. He had worn neither mask nor cowl. He hadn't even worn a hat. On top of that, the man had had one striking feature. His eye color had been unique. The irises had appeared to be yellow.

"Good." Dick reached for a tablet. Wally waited impatiently as Dick typed. After what seemed like an eternity, Dick handed him the tablet. "These are the Flash's rogues," he explained. "For whatever reason, Barry seems to have more than anybody else. They're all sociopaths. See if any of them look familiar. If not, we can look at other known criminals, though from what you've said, it sounds like this is someone new."

Wally hesitated. "Dick, I don't think this was a bad guy. What he did…I could tell he didn't want to hurt me."

"But he did."

"Because he said I needed to become a better hero."

"Wally, that doesn't make any sense."

"You're the one who said things aren't always logical."

"Touché. But it can also describe a sociopath's actions. We have to eliminate as many possibilities as we can."

With a heavy heart, Wally studied each photo. The rogues seemed to favor bright, flamboyant costumes. Weather Wizard? Captain Cold? Mirror Master? Rainbow Raider? He recognized some of the names. Others were unfamiliar. Few inspired fear or trembling. He lost track of the number of photos, but suddenly he was at the end. None of the faces had been familiar. With relief, he handed the tablet back to Dick. "Nothing." To his dismay, Dick handed it back. "A few more, though, the Flash doesn't usually tangle with these."

When Wally reached the end, he was again relieved. None of the faces had been familiar. Yet, he had noticed one rather disturbing quality. Of the rogues, the Flash's rogues had seemed the tamest, probably due to their colorful costumes. Of the other rogues, Batman's were definitely the most disturbing. They had a darker edge than all the rest. They seem more psychopathic than sociopathic. How could Batman and Dick and Dick's brothers face those lunatics again and again? It was one more reason why Batman's paranoia could be justified. "Nothing."

"That still doesn't mean he's a good guy."

"I know, but despite his actions, instinct tells me he is." Wally rubbed his hands over his face. "God…time travel."

Dick smiled. "It's not as far-fetched as it seems. What color was the guy's hair?"

"Brown. Light brown." Close to Iris', he thought.

"Beard?"

"No. Clean shaven." Wally frowned. "Do you know who it is?"

Dick sighed, fiddled with the tablet and handed it back to Wally. "Either of these men?"

The tablet pictured two men. No names. One was blond and clean shaven. The other had brown hair and a couple day old beard. "No. Who are they?"

"Booster Gold and Rip Hunter. Both are time travelers."

"And heroes?" Wally had heard of Booster Gold. He was a hero. Rip Hunter was unfamiliar.

"Booster tries. Rip…no one knows much about him. He seems to be on the side of good."

"It's not them." Wally handed the tablet back to Dick.

"I didn't think it would be, but I wanted to eliminate two more possibilities."

"So, what do we do now? Find a used Delorean?"

Dick grinned. "There's a clocktower in Gotham."

Wally returned the smile. "And my grandpa could probably figure out how to make it all work. Even if he did, though, we'd still have a problem – where do we go?"

"I think you mean 'when' do we go?" Dick paused. "I think we should trust your instinct that whoever this guy was, he's on the side of the angels most of the time. Whether others will take that view remains to be seen. There's not much we can do, though. Unless he appears again, it's a moot point. The bigger point is that you need to talk to the League."

"And what would I tell them? I don't know who he was or where he went. I don't know why he took Dr. Thawne, except that he said Dr. Thawne can't die…and I need to become a better hero faster…and all of us are the key to some catastrophic events… God, none of this makes sense and they'll never believe me."

"You'll drive yourself crazy if you try to rationalize this," Dick commented with a weary smile. "Will you at least seriously consider talking to either Barry or Hal or someone else besides me? Please?"

Wally wasn't about to commit. "Why does none of this faze you?"

Dick shrugged. "I've been in this business too long. It takes more than someone from the future to surprise me."

Wally stared at the unopened package of ping pong balls. Would what he had planned with the ping pong balls surprise Dick? Probably. Hell, he wasn't even completely certain what would happen. He thought he knew, but even he might be in for a surprise. "I'll talk to Iris."

"You have no intention of making my life easy, do you?" Dick sighed. "I'll see what I can do."

"Could I talk to her before we conduct the experiment?"

"Considering you're finally willing to talk to someone, I better say yes."

It was the best he could hope for.

* * *

><p>When her knock didn't produce a response, Iris entered the room anyway. Nightwing had said Wally wanted to talk to her. It was all she had needed to hear. It had meant another two trips using the teleporter, but rather than let that thought depress her, she had tried to see the positive. Two more trips via the teleporter would mean two more opportunities to look around the warehouse. Sadly, there had been little to see. The warehouse remained mostly empty save a teleporter and a couple wooden crates.<p>

Entering the room, Iris discovered why Wally hadn't responded to the knock. He had fallen asleep. Barry and Hal had told her that nightmares were plaguing Wally's sleep. Perhaps they were the reason he was sleeping at ten o'clock in the morning. He had always been an early riser. Sleeping past eight o'clock was an extreme rarity. At least for the moment, he appeared peaceful.

With a sigh, Iris glanced around the room. She hadn't brought anything with her. She hadn't thought she would need to bring anything to occupy herself. She moved to one of the wheeled trays near Wally's bed. He had an e-reader somewhere. She could glance at a magazine until he awoke.

As she moved some papers to the side in search of the e-reader, two words caught her attention. Wayne Enterprises. Why would Wally have written down that name? Against her better judgment, she picked up the notebook and scanned the notes Wally had written. Iris paled. The notes were few and if she hadn't already done some of her own investigating, she may not have made the connection. Or perhaps her own investigation was skewing her thoughts. Apart from asking Wally directly, there was one more way to know. It required an invasion of privacy. Hopefully Wally would understand and forgive her.

Iris gently lifted Wally's laptop off another one of the trays. The computer was already on. She clicked on the internet search engine and checked the search history. If Wally had the program set to automatically clear the search history, her quest would be over. Luck was on her side.

After the third page, she realized Wally knew Nightwing's identity – Dick Grayson. Without looking further, Iris knew that Dick Grayson was the first son Bruce Wayne had adopted. She had uncovered that connection in searching for information about Wayne Enterprises and its owner. Was this the connection she had been seeking? Did this explain Wayne Enterprises owning a nondescript warehouse in Keystone City? A warehouse that seemingly housed only a teleporter? A warehouse in a city in which the company had no other interests? Was Nightwing the reason? Was he the connection?

It didn't feel right. Something else was missing. Nightwing, while a hero and despite his current role, was not actively involved with the Justice League. Likewise, Dick Grayson didn't appear to be actively involved with Wayne Enterprises either. Something was still missing. She needed a more direct connection.

Iris quickly clicked through some of the other pages Wally had viewed. The majority were articles either written by legitimate new sources or gossip magazines. Iris glanced again at Wally's notes. He had written down a series of dates. The dates coincided with the dates on the articles. The articles focused on two topics – Batman's capture of various villains and Bruce Wayne's accidents related to his thrill-seeking lifestyle. Why had Wally focused on these articles? Then it hit her. It wasn't the articles per se. It was the dates. Each accident was reported the day after Batman's capture of a villain. The accidents were cover stories. The connection she had been seeking was Bruce Wayne.

Bruce Wayne was Batman. It made perfect sense. It explained everything. It also seemed unreal. How could someone with such a well-known public persona have a second life that no one knew about? What else was he hiding?

Iris closed Wally's laptop and set it aside. What should she do with her newfound information? Should she tell Wally that she knew? He'd be disappointed and perhaps even angry that she had looked through his personal files. And if he could look past that transgression, he would chide her for snooping. He would question her sanity. Why was she willing to tempt fate again? Hadn't she learned her lesson? Did she even consider what Batman might do once he found out?

Of course she had taken precautions. She had learned her lesson. She had been careful. She hadn't done any of her snooping on her own computer or even Barry's computer. Instead, she had used the computers at the library. More importantly, she hadn't expected to uncover Batman's identity. She hadn't expected to uncover any identities. She had only wanted to know about a nondescript, mostly empty warehouse in Keystone City that housed a teleporter used by the Justice League. Who owned the warehouse? How long had they owned it? She hadn't expected those questions to lead to more questions. Honestly, she wasn't sure what she had expected. She just knew the question would plague her until she did a little investigating.

Discovering the warehouse was owned by Wayne Enterprises had surprised her. Wayne Enterprises had no other interests in the greater Central-Keystone area. Why would the company own a warehouse there? It seemed unlikely WE was looking to expand into the area; WE had owned the warehouse for three years. It had been acquired when WE had purchased Kord Industries. Wouldn't WE have liquidated all non-essential assets resulting from that purchase by now? Three years was more than enough time to sell the warehouse. More strangely, Kord Industries hadn't had any other interests in the greater Central-Keystone area either. It had purchased the warehouse roughly five years earlier, approximately the same time the Justice League had been formed. Coincidence? Had Kord Industries had a connection to the Justice League as well? Or was that connection limited to just WE?

"Iris?"

Iris turned her attention to Wally and found a pair of familiar green eyes watching her. She smiled. "Hey, kiddo."

Wally blinked several times. A slow smile appeared. "Di-Nightwing did it," he commented softly.

Iris caught the slip. Wally had been about to say Dick. It provided an opening to be honest with him. If she wanted him to open up to her, she needed to do the same. "He said you wanted to talk to me. That's all I needed to hear. Wal-"

"Is Barry here?"

"No, Hal brought me. Barry's sitting through what we both hope is his final interview with Internal Affairs." She spoke quickly so she wouldn't lose her nerve and Wally couldn't interrupt again. "Wally, I know who Nightwing is. Dick Grayson. And I know who Batman is. Bruce Wayne."

Wally stared at her, quickly paling. "How did you…"

"Don't get mad, but I saw your notes. I noticed Wayne Enterprises scribbled on one of the pages. It piqued my interest and, well, you were sleeping and I didn't want to wake you."

"Iris-"

"Look, you have every right to be angry with me. I invaded your privacy. I'd be ticked if you had done the same thing to me, but seeing Wayne Enterprises…I also had a few questions about the company, and it just seemed like too much of a coincidence for both of us to be thinking about it at the same time." She shared what she had learned. "It all seems so unreal."

Wally sighed. "I know. I couldn't sleep last night because of it. He's going to kill…Dick…and you and me. He'll probably skewer Barry and Hal, too, for good measure."

At least her nephew didn't appear angry. Iris smiled. "All of us can hold our own against him," she reassured. "How did you figure out who Dick was?"

"He told me. Or at least he told me his first name and gave me enough clues to figure out the rest."

"He trusts you."

"Yeah, I guess." She could tell it wasn't what he had planned to say. No doubt a sarcastic remark had been on the tip of his tongue. "I'm sorry for what I said yesterday. I was angry. Hurt. And I lashed out."

She reached for his hand and squeezed it. "I know," she reassured. It was hard to believe it had only been yesterday.

He wiped his hand across his face. "All of this…it's just…god, I don't even know how to describe it."

"I know." Dating a superhero. Being kidnapped. Learning Wally was a speedster. Encountering the Justice League. Confronting Batman.

"Do you trust Batman?" he asked cautiously.

She paused before answering. He deserved the truth. After everything he had gone through, with everything he still faced, he deserved nothing less. "As odd as it sounds, yes." Iris saw the disbelief on his face. "He's doing what he feels is necessary to protect his family, friends and now that I know who he is, probably even his employees. I may not agree with it, but I understand. Even though what he did to you was reprehensible. I don't know if I'll ever forgive him for that."

"And what do you think he'll do when he realizes we know who he is? If we thought it was bad before…I hate to even think of what he might do now."

"Yet neither of us hesitated to do a little snooping."

Wally smiled wryly. "I've lived with you too long. Besides, I was too anxious to figure out who Dick. I never paused long enough to think that learning Dick's identity might lead to learning Batman's. I should have realized it would happen."

Iris smiled. "I was so focused on finding out who owned that warehouse, I never thought it would lead to uncovering another identity. If you had paused, would that have stopped you from trying to learn who Dick was?"

"No. What about you?"

"Reporter. Definitely no."

"Part of the reason he's so paranoid is because you're a reporter."

"Well, I don't know how much longer that will be the case," she admitted. Surprise covered her nephew's face. "You're not the only one plagued by nightmares. Every night I wake up at least twice. I can only fall asleep if Barry's there. I still haven't been able to log into my work account. And the thought of actually going to the office…" She shivered. "I keep wondering if he's watching." Unconsciously, she hugged herself.

"Iris, you're safe."

"Am I? No one knows what happened to Dr. Thawne, where he is."

"Iris-"

"I know Barry will do everything within his power to protect me." She pointed to the watch on her arm. "He even gave me a signal device. He assured me that even if he can't respond, the device is programmed to notify the League. Someone will always have my back." The gift had thrown her. Hal had told her Barry would be proposing. When Barry had held out a box, her heart had begun to beat a little faster. While the box had been bigger than a typical ring box, she had discounted the difference. Opening the box to reveal a signal device disguised as a watch had been disappointing. It had taken all of her resources to keep her expression neutral. "I know my fear is irrational," she admitted, "but I can't overlook that none of this would have happened if I weren't a reporter."

"Iris-"

"Actually, it's not really the reporter part. It's the fact I can't leave good enough alone. If I had never interviewed the Flash, none of this would have happened. But you know me. I had to talk to him some way, somehow. It's the same reason I checked out Barry and Hal's background. It's the same reason I couldn't leave a warehouse address alone and connected it to Wayne Enterprises. I both hate and love mysteries. It makes me a good reporter, but is it worth the price?"

"Iris, none of this is your fault."

"Wally, I understand that here," she explained pointing to her head. "But not here." She pointed to her heart.

"Have you talked to Barry about any of this?"

"No, even though I know he suspects. He's more intuitive than anyone gives him credit. I think he's hesitant to mention anything. I've been…well, I've been a bit moody recently and I know he's doing his best to avoid any sort of confrontation." Iris smiled self-consciously.

Wally grinned. "Yeah, I know what an Iris mood is like. He's smart to do his best to avoid you."

Iris playfully swatted Wally's arm. "I miss talking to you."

"Me, too."

A comfortable silence fell between them. Eventually it was Wally who spoke. "Dick thinks I need to talk to someone besides him about what happened. He wants me to talk to the League or Barry or Hal. I told him I'd talk to you. I guess a part of me didn't believe he'd actually bring you here."

"What were you and Dick talking about?"

"What happened after you left."

A sudden chill ran through her body. Living through part of it had been bad enough. She already had nightmares. Did she really want to know the rest? She quickly chastised herself. Even if she didn't want to know, for Wally's sake, she'd listen. She'd empathize. She'd do whatever she needed to do to get him through it. That said, it didn't mean she was the logical choice. "Why not Barry or Hal?"

"I know I have to tell them, and the League, eventually. But I'm still trying to come to terms with everything. It's not just about what happened…it's also about what I can do."

Wally was a speedster. As outrageous as it sounded, Iris had accepted that fact. Surviving more than one electrified chemical bath was one sign. His amazing healing abilities were another. Iris had wondered if there were more. Obviously there was. "But doesn't that mean you should be talking to Barry?"

Wally idly picked at an invisible spot on the blanket. "I don't think Barry and I are the same."

"What do you mean?"

Instead of answering, Wally reached for a package of ping pong balls. Iris frowned. Ping pong balls? She watched as he opened the package, removed one of the balls, and rolled the ball in his hand. "I asked Dick to bring me these. I was going to show him first, but, well, you can tell me if I should show him or the others."

Iris couldn't begin to imagine what Wally had planned. It was a ping pong ball. She watched intently as he placed the ball on the nearest wheeled tray. He held it briefly with his finger. With his finger removed, the ball remained unmoving on the table. "Ready?" he asked.

"For what?"

He smiled. "Gently tap the side of the ball with your fingernail."

Iris looked at him skeptically, but did as instructed. What happened next left her heart pounding in her chest. Everything had happened too quickly for her to see. She had lightly tapped the ball. The next second the ball was a pile of miniscule pieces of plastic at the base of the far wall. Iris stared at Wally in shock.

"I don't think Barry can do that," he said calmly.

"What did you do?"

"I gave a bit of my speed to the ball."

"You gave…" She stared at him dumbfounded. Her mind raced to process what had happened and what he had said. Wally had only touched the ball. She had barely tapped it. How had it moved so fast to explode upon impact? How had he given it speed? How was that possible? What did it mean? "Wally, what…" She didn't even know what questions to ask. There were simply too many of them.

"I can steal speed, too. I discovered that trick first, purely by accident. This was my first real test on lending speed. And when I do either, I finally feel…everything finally feels right. Since all this happened, I've had this feeling that's something's just beyond my reach. When I steal speed, or even now when I gave speed, everything felt right. That feeling was gone." Wally paused. "I did ask Barry about the feeling. I'll admit I didn't ask him directly, but I poked at it. He doesn't feel like he's missing something. He's never said anything about stealing speed or lending speed."

"Wal-"

"There's more. Please, let me finish. Dr. Thawne didn't break my legs. Another man appeared after you left. He's the one who broke my legs."

Oh, god, he had an accomplice. She unconsciously touched the signal device on her wrist for reassurance. "Who was it?"

"I don't know, and despite his actions, I don't think he was a bad guy. Breaking my legs bothered him. He had tears in his eyes."

"Then why did he do it?"

"He said it would make me a better hero. He said the Allens, the Wests and the Thawnes were needed to avert future crises. He said I would set the bar for future speedsters."

"There's no way he could know that."

"Unless he was from the future."

"What?!" This conversation was getting stranger and stranger. "You can't be serious."

"Believe me, I know how far-fetched it sounds. But is it really that much different than getting doused with electrified chemicals and being able to do things at incredible speeds? Or being given a ring that can turn anything you can imagine into reality? Besides, Hal told me they found tachyon particles. It's theorized tachyon particles play a role in time travel."

Iris pinched the bridge of her nose. All of this was surreal. But if Wally was accepting it as fact, how could she argue? "You need to talk to Barry and Hal. They deal with this stuff more frequently. Maybe they can make sense of it all." Wally remained silent. Iris sighed. She wasn't giving him whatever reaction he had hoped to see. As a result, he was shutting down. "What does Dick think about all this?"

Before Wally answered, a knock sounded on the door. Wally looked relieved by the diversion. "Come in."

Iris silently cursed when Dick and Hal entered the room. Hal had obviously come to take her back. She wasn't ready to go. There was so much more she needed to say to Wally, so many more questions she had. The look of relief on Wally's face had been obvious. There was more for him to say and he knew she would push him to say it. Did she really want to know the rest? Did she really have a choice?

"Iris, we need to go," Hal said.

She stood up to leave. As she did, her mind quickly weighed her options. Sadly, the options were few. God only knew when she would see Wally again. Could she wait that long? How angry would he be if she pushed the issue? What's the worst he could do? He had already aired some of her dirty laundry in front of Hal. What else was there? Blame her for everything that had happened now and years ago? She already felt guilty. Stop talking to her? It wasn't Wally's personality. He could do it for a few days, but eventually he would break. Besides, he had admitted he planned to talk to Dick more. He had also said he would talk to Barry and Hal. Maybe it was time to speed up the time table. She had stood up to Batman. She had stood up to Hal. Perhaps it was time to stand up to her own nephew.

"No." She sat back down and stared defiantly at Wally.


	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: These characters aren't mine.

A/N: This story is AU. See Chapter 1 for details.

* * *

><p>Wally opened his eyes. His mind slowly took in his surroundings. Gone were the shades of grey. They had been replaced with a wall painted a light green with white trim and a window. Window? Not only a window, but sunshine was peaking between the gaps in the blinds. He blinked a few times, removing some of the cobwebs in his mind. Hospital…no, STAR Labs. Panic flared briefly with the thought of STAR Labs, but he beat it back. STAR Labs was the last place he wanted to be, but the choice had been taken away from him. Barry, along with J'onn, had patiently explained why STAR was the best and only option for the surgery, why hospitals not only shouldn't, but couldn't, be considered. So, here he was. In the last place on earth he wanted to be, in the place where his life had become hell. Well, maybe not the exact place, but his internship with STAR Labs had started the downward spiral.<p>

Wally pushed the dark thoughts aside. Wallowing in self pity served no purpose. He moved his gaze to his legs. A blanket covered his left leg. The right leg was immobilized. Gauze encircled the entire leg. Neither leg had any feeling beyond a general numbness, similar to the feeling when his mouth was numbed for dental work. More importantly, he didn't sense J'onn. J'onn had always been respectful, but he had always been 'there.' While Wally appreciated J'onn's efforts to make his life pain-free, it had been uncomfortable knowing someone was always in – literally – his mind. The gauze, the numbness, it all added up to one conclusion – the surgery had worked. It felt as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. There was hope.

While the League had been confident in their plan to fix his legs, Wally had had his doubts. It had all seemed too simple. Give away some of his speed, slow his metabolism and wah-lah? The surgeries could magically proceed? Wally had been skeptical. Before proceeding, the League had conducted a brief test to see if their assumptions held true. Wally had given a small portion of his power to Barry, enough to briefly – very briefly – slow his metabolism. Based on the looks everyone had had on their faces when it had worked, Wally had realized he hadn't been the only one who had been skeptical.

Barry had burned through the extra energy quickly, but it had raised another question. Could Barry alone handle the amount of speed Wally would need to give away or would others be needed? And if others were needed, who would they be? It needed to be individuals who could handle the enhanced speed. When the time had come, Barry had taken the majority of the power Wally had drained. The remainder had gone to Superman and Wonder Woman. Hal had also been ready, though, Wally guessed Hal had been relieved when his services hadn't been needed.

How long until his metabolism returned was the question that remained. No one was sure. Would it be hours? Days? Weeks? Months? Might it never return? The League believed the last option was unlikely, yet no one would even hazard a guess as to how long Wally would have to wait. Obviously it had been long enough for the first surgery to take place. While he had acted nonchalant about losing the speed, it would be a cruel twist of fate to completely lose the ability without ever having fully experienced it. Sure, he could talk and think at phenomenal speeds. He could type so fast the computer couldn't keep up with his fingers. But those actions paled in comparison to the one thing he hadn't been able to do. He couldn't run. He couldn't feel the rush of wind. He couldn't experience the shifting visual field as one approached light speed.

Taking a breath, he concentrated and focused inward. The feeling was still there, but it felt father away. At least he felt something. Right before the surgery, after he had given the speed to Barry, he hadn't been able to sense the feeling at all. It was coming back. Whether it would be the same as before had yet to be determined, but at least the speed appeared to be returning…and the surgery had been completed.

He moved his right hand to lightly touch his right leg. Nothing. What touch he felt was in his fingers, not his leg. Taking a deep breath, he wiggled the toes on his left leg. The toes moved sluggishly. It took more effort than seemed necessary, but miraculously, no pain. He smiled, his gaze drifting to his left hand. An intravenous line was secured to the backside of the hand. He followed the plastic tubing to the IV bag that hung next to the bed. Drugs. Life was good. Though if the presence of the feeling meant anything, the drugs would lose their effectiveness soon enough.

In looking at the IV line, he realized he wasn't alone. Iris was curled up in the chair, sound asleep. He hadn't talked or seen her since he had come clean regarding his newfound abilities. Their visit that day had ended in tension. It seemed that was how all their recent interactions ended. He supposed he could have pushed to see her, but things had been happening fast. Once the League had formulated a plan, everything had kicked into overdrive. Avoiding her had seemed the easier option. He didn't have the energy for more arguments with her. Nor did he want to experience any more of her guilt. Besides, she hadn't exactly pushed to see or talk to him either. Maybe she had felt the same way.

Wally knew they were both struggling. They were both so focused on protecting each other that they were actually hurting each other. Maybe those days apart were what they needed – time for introspection. Seeing her now, he was glad she was there. Despite the recent tension, she was his rock, his anchor. He'd be lost without her. He wouldn't have wanted to awaken without her there. "Hey," he said softly.

Her eyes fluttered open. She looked at him, a smile slowly spreading across her face. She stood up and stretched, then reached for his hand. "Hey."

Suddenly, a million questions demanded to be asked. "What…? How…?" He didn't know what to ask first.

She squeezed his hand. "The surgery went well, though, it took almost two hours longer than expected. There weren't any complications. Things were just a bit more banged up than even the x-rays had revealed. On the bright side, at least for your right leg, the vascular and nerve damage were minimal. Still, going through airport security or any other metal detectors for that matter will be a challenge. I also wouldn't walk too close to a powerful magnet if I were you."

"Ha, ha." He looked at the leg. "But they fixed it?" The x-rays had been disheartening to view. Bones – even broken bones – shouldn't look like a jigsaw puzzle. He shuddered to think each of those bones had to be broken again so the doctors could properly set them.

Iris nodded. "They had to use screws, pins and even two plates to piece your bones back together, but yes, they're fixed."

"Humpty Dumpty lives."

"He just needed the Justice League and STAR Labs on his side. Once they see how that leg heals, they'll fix your left. The sooner that metabolism of yours kicks in, the better."

And the sooner the pain would return. It was a fact of life, at least for the time being. He wiggled his left toes again. It seemed like a miracle he could do something so simple without screaming in pain. "How many more surgeries?" The doctors had refused to even hazard a guess prior to surgery.

"At least two. Your left leg and then a double knee replacement. But depending on the amount of nerve or vascular damage in your left leg, it may be more surgeries. Also, they aren't planning to remove any of your metal hardware, but complications may occur which might require them to remove either all or some of it. Pretty much everything they do or say has at least one qualifier attached to it. I'm told since you're young and healthy, the risks are minimal, but…" Her voice trailed off. She shrugged her shoulders and looked down.

It was a telltale sign of her worry and unspoken fears. She was fighting to keep from crying. "Iris, I'm okay and I will be okay."

She smiled weakly, quickly wiping away a tear that had escaped. "I know. This is all… I'll just be glad when all this is over and everything goes back to normal."

A smile played on his lips. "You're dating a superhero and your nephew is a speedster. I think we left normal a long time ago."

Her smile broadened. "Met a Martian, been in space, been teleported, faced down Batman…" She ticked each feat off on her fingers.

"Normal will be boring after this."

"I could use a little boring."

"You don't do boring. You hate it. Even Barry's learned that one."

She chuckled softly. "Yeah, I have been driving him a little crazy…and probably you and everyone else. I think Hal is having serious doubts about my mental stability."

Wally bit back a smile. The comment about Hal was dead on target. Barry had said the same thing. But given Hal's allergic reaction to anything that hinted of commitment, it wasn't a huge surprise.

"And I can't really blame him," she continued. "I haven't been myself. All of this…seeing you hurt…again. It was hard enough the first time."

"And we got through that, just like we'll get through it this time. And this time there's a key difference – we aren't facing it alone. Sure, Grandpa was there, but how 'there' is Grandpa? Now we have Barry, Hal, Dick… They're all willing to help, even if one of them thinks you are a little crazy, though, with Hal, we could just tell him it's PMS." Iris playfully swatted at him. He laughed. "Hey! I'm already in a hospital bed!"

Iris shook her head. "At times it's impossible to hold a serious conversation with you."

Wally failed at hiding a smile. It seemed as if eons had passed since he and Iris had been like this – teasing, relaxed. How much one man had changed everything. Wally had never suspected one person could have that much power.

Iris returned his smile. Her words revealed she was in tune with his thoughts. "It's been awhile, hasn't it."

"Yeah."

"God, I missed this."

"Me, too."

"I wouldn't have thought dating Barry would have come between us as much as it has."

Wally looked at Iris in surprise. Barry?! How could she even begin to think Barry had any role in how their relationship had changed? None of this was Barry's fault. Thawne was the culprit. All blame pointed to Thawne. The timing had been coincidental, nothing more than a fluke.

"Hal told me that Barry plans to ask me to marry him," she continued.

Wally waited. He needed to correct Iris about her misconception that Barry was at fault, but he wanted to hear what she had to say about Barry's supposed marriage plans. Personally, he believed it was about time. Those two were meant for each other. They were a perfect match. It was time he had an uncle. His aunt, though, remained uncharacteristically silent. "And?" he eventually prodded.

"I don't know," she admitted. "I've thought about it…more than once…and it's…it's complicated. I've known Barry was the Flash for awhile, and everything comes back to that."

"Iris, none of this is Barry's fault. Thawne's to blame."

"Or the Flash."

"Thawne," Wally countered firmly. "Barry would have told you his secret eventually, and it would have been before he proposed. He wouldn't want to start marriage with a lie between you. He wouldn't have been able to live with it. Besides, you said you knew he was the Flash."

"I know, but it's not just that. Us…you and I…things changed. We both have our secrets, and we'll always have some things we don't tell each other, but the number of secrets seems to have grown exponentially since I started dating Barry."

"It's not Barry's fault. It's not our fault. The blame is still Thawne's. He's the common denominator in all this." Wally sighed. "You and I got lost. We both became so focused on protecting each other from Dr. Thawne that we didn't see the forest for the trees."

"He really had it in for Barry. You and I got caught in the crossfire," Iris stated softly.

"Which is why none of this is Barry's fault, your fault, or my fault. If we had been honest with each other from the start…well, we'd have avoided a lot of headaches."

Silence descended. What more was there to say? They seemed to cover the same territory again and again. If things continued, the apologies would soon start. He and Iris needed to move forward. They needed to heal. Rehashing Thawne – rehashing his childhood – it benefited no one. There was nothing either of them could do to change what had happen. Sure, there were things that either of them could have done that might have changed history, but those were the could-have-beens. While tachyon particles proved time travel was possible, until they had an actual time machine, focusing on the could-have-beens seemed pointless. Besides, truthfully, while he hated the pain he had suffered – what Iris had suffered – he was a speedster. That little fact was beyond cool. In a twisted way, it had been worth the price…especially if he could actually run. But before he could run – before he could walk – surgery and physical therapy were in his future. A lot of physical therapy. It was time to change the conversation's direction.

"Dick's offered that I could stay with him in Gotham once the surgeries are done. He's willing to help with all the physical therapy appointments, exercises and all that. He's even mentioned that if I'm interested, he, or probably Bruce, could arrange a position at Wayne Enterprises so I could finish my dissertation."

Physical therapy was the next hurdle. The enhanced metabolism would do him little good. While the bones and muscles would heal quickly, it would take time to rebuild muscle strength. No matter how he looked at it, Wally knew he faced months of physical therapy. The first months would be trying. He'd require near constant care. A rehabilitation facility was the logical choice, but Wally had shuddered at the thought. Rehabilitation facility was a safe sounding pseudonym for nursing home. But what other option did he have? Iris would offer to take care of him. Barry would, too. But he didn't want to be the third wheel, and he really didn't want either Iris or Barry helping him with almost everything at first. Some things just needed to remain private. While the same services would be required of Dick, at least it would be another guy helping, not his aunt or soon-to-be uncle.

Dick had seemingly read his mind. Out of nowhere, Dick had proposed Wally moving to Gotham for the duration of his recovery. To make the offer more tempting, Dick had offered a position at Wayne Enterprises, something to help Wally pass the time and finish his dissertation. For every question Wally had asked, Dick had had an answer. Dick had given the situation some thought. It hadn't been an off-the-cuff response.

"What did you tell him?"

Was that hurt in her voice? Wally glanced at Iris, but her expression was schooled. Not a single emotion showed. "I told him that I needed to think about it, but the offer is tempting."

"You know that Barry and I are here for you."

"I know, but honestly, I think I'd be more comfortable with Dick. Your relationship with Barry is just that – _your_ relationship. I don't want to be stuck in the middle or make things more complicated than they need to be. Besides, eventually I need to step out on my own. This seems like as good of time as any. I can get back on my feet, Dick can help, and I'll hopefully finish my degree in the process." He shrugged. "Then I can see where life takes me."

"Sounds like you've already made up your mind."

He smiled. "I guess maybe I have." He fiddled with the IV line. "Iris, I have so much to be thankful for, and it's all because of you. You put your life on hold. Hell, you rearranged your life for me. I'll never be able to repay you for what you did. It's time for you to start living your life without having to worry about me. This is one small thing I can do to help."

"You were never a burden."

"I know."

"There's nothing I would change."

"I know, and I'll probably be around more than you want me to be. Luckily, you can't cook, otherwise, I might be around even more often."

"Ha, ha. You're a real riot."

"Just promise me one thing."

Iris raised an eyebrow. "Should I even ask?"

Wally smiled. "Say yes when he asks. I really want an uncle."

She returned his smile, a twinkle in her eyes. "I will."


	18. Epilogue

Disclaimer: These characters aren't mine.

A/N: This story is AU. See Chapter 1 for details.

* * *

><p>Wally paused to take a moment to process everything that had just happened. Events had been proceeding too quickly – even for a speedster – to fully comprehend what was occurring. An explosion had rocked Iron Heights Correctional Facility. It would take days to identify all the casualties as well as determine the cause of the explosion. The immediate concern had been rounding up the prisoners, particularly the Rogues. Wally had studied the Flash's Rogues. He knew what they were capable of doing. Nothing had quite prepared him for what could happen when facing multiple Rogues at the same time. At least their attacks hadn't been coordinated. If they had… Wally pushed the thought from his mind. The outcome would not have been pretty.<p>

This wasn't how he had expected his debut to occur. Actually, he wasn't quite sure what he had expected. Heroes just seemed to appear. Maybe he had thought he would appear in a much less spectacular fashion. Sort of shadow Barry for a while, rather than jumping into the deep end. In the end, Barry had needed help. No more needed to be said.

So much had changed over the past year. He could not only walk, he could run. The physical therapy had been grueling. He had lost track of the number of times he was ready to give up. Metabolism may have healed the wounds quickly, but it was useless when it came to reclaiming his muscle tone and stamina. He had cursed each of his physical therapists. They would only smile and tell him that they'd see him tomorrow. It had been annoying. Even Dick, the man who had become his best friend, had annoyed the hell out of him when it came to the therapy and exercises. One did not whine or complain with Dick. It had only made Dick drill him even harder. Without Dick, Wally doubted he would have recovered as quickly as he had.

Full use of his body wasn't the only change. Wally had also added three letters after his name – PhD. The dissertation had been completed and defended. He had earned his doctorate degree. Now he just needed to decide what to do with the rest of his life. Teaching remained an option, but if he wanted to pursue this hero thing, he needed a job with flexible hours and little direct supervision. Wayne Enterprises continued to court him. Dick – or rather Bruce – had come through with a temporary position in research and development. It had provided everything Wally had needed for a dissertation. With his graduation, the temporary position had ended, but Wayne Enterprises had offered him a full-time position. The salary had left him dumbfounded, though, upon further research, he had realized it was competitive compared to those with similar qualifications. More importantly, the position would provide the flexibility he sought and get him out of Gotham City. Gotham was great to visit, but Wally still hadn't figured out why anyone in their right mind would want to live there permanently. By the end of his third week in Gotham, he had been longing to return to the Midwest. This position gave him that option. It would also provide a better cover for the warehouse Wayne Enterprises owned in Keystone City, though, as far as Wally knew, he would be the only employee. Overall, the position description seemed almost too perfect and left him wondering how much influence Dick or Bruce had had.

The final big change had been Iris. Iris West Allen. Within two months of Wally's move to Gotham, Iris had reached the end of her patience and taken her future into her own hands. She had asked Barry to marry her. The wedding had occurred soon afterwards. Wally had had one goal – to walk without assistance at their wedding. Iris had ignored the traditional bridesmaid. Instead, the wedding had had two best men – Wally and Hal. As a surprise to everyone except his grandpa and Dick, Wally had conspired with Ira to walk Iris partway down the aisle. Ira would handle the entrance. Halfway down the aisle, he would pass Iris to Wally and Wally would escort her to the altar. Miracle of miracles, Ira had managed to keep the secret. Wally knew he would always remember the tears in Iris' eyes when she realized he was standing and walking unassisted. No leg braces. No crutches. No cane or walker. At least not for the ceremony.

"You okay?"

Wally blinked and turned to see Barry standing next to him. "Yeah." How long had his mind been wandering?

Barry seemed to read his thoughts. "Speedster time. Maybe two ticks."

Wally smiled. "Good. Don't want everyone to think I'm spacing out."

"I highly doubt they'll think that. Thanks for your help. If you hadn't been here, I don't know if I could have handled it all on my own."

Hal, Barry's obvious choice, was off-world at the moment. It was strange how little the heroes seemed to help each other out. It happened, but not as often as one might think. Barry and Hal were the obvious exceptions. During Wally's entire stay in Gotham, the Bat family had never asked for outside help. No matter the situation, they managed to handle everything on their own. Each night Dick had donned the Nightwing costume, Wally had worried whether Dick would return. Worse, nothing seemed to keep Dick from wearing the costume. Viruses, broken bones, gunshot wounds…no matter his health, Dick didn't hesitate to go out. Yes, Dick was very, very good at what he did. But it was Gotham. Sadistic and psychopathic seemed to be the general rule. Once toward the end of his stay, Wally had ventured out to patrol with Dick. The night hadn't gone well. Just thinking about it gave him the shivers. Thankfully, the Flash's Rogues paled considerably in the amount of blood spilled compared to Batman's Rogues.

"Kid Flash still here?" Before leaving to help Barry, Wally had sent a quick text message to Kid Flash requesting his assistance. Wally had expected the message to go unacknowledged, and had been surprised when Kid Flash had appeared.

"No. He took off already."

Wally heard the relief in Barry's voice. Barry and Kid Flash did not mix well. Given Barry's laid back nature, that said a lot. Wally still hadn't figured out exactly why Barry didn't trust Kid Flash. That lack of a relationship was the reason Wally had expected Kid Flash to stay away. "He's not a bad kid."

"I know, but you seem to have a way with him. He respects you."

That comment said a lot, too. If only Barry knew the full truth. Kid Flash. Bart Allen. The man who had crushed his legs. Meeting Bart the first time had been a shock. It had been Bart's eyes. They had been the same shape and color as the man who had crushed his legs. Wally had managed to control his initial surprise and as soon as he could, he had age-enhanced a photo of Bart. Making Bart about ten years older had been the key. At least he now knew who the man had been. If only he could also know why.

Showing an interest in Bart had been easy. To his surprise, Wally had discovered he enjoyed spending time with Bart. The teenager was quick witted and had a good sense of humor. Yet, despite the hours they had spent together, Wally was still no closer to understanding why an older Bart had traveled from the future to the past to change Wally's life. Bart – the older Bart – had said it was to prevent some sort of catastrophe. That still seemed highly unlikely. Wally had resigned himself to the possibility that he might never know the truth. But maybe getting to know Bart would help him understand some of the things that were both to come and that had already happened.

"Still think this is something you want to do? Most days aren't like this. They're much easier. But every now and then, something happens that makes you long for days like today."

There was no hesitation in his answer. "Doesn't matter. I'm in." The feeling of satisfaction from saving lives – it was a natural high.

"Good. I think I'm going to like having a partner."

"Partner?" He failed to keep the surprise out of his voice. The term suggested equality. That didn't seem right. Barry had years of experience acting as the Flash. Wally couldn't – shouldn't – be his partner. He was too old to be a sidekick. Perhaps an apprentice. Or maybe a speedster in training. Those seemed more logical titles. Surely there must be some sort of apprenticeship or probationary period. "You mean I'll be your trainee."

"No, you're my partner." Barry clapped him on the shoulder. "We complement each other. You can do a few things I can't do and I can do a few things you can't do." Wally hid a smile. No matter how hard he tried, Barry still hadn't figured out how to steal or lend speed. For that matter, neither had Bart. And no matter how hard Wally tried, he couldn't vibrate through solid objects without causing them to explode." Barry glanced over his shoulder. "Besides, being partners will make it easier to face the press."

Wally turned to see to two reporters approaching from opposite directions, both ignoring the police orders to stop.

"Flash! Iris Allen, _Central City Citizen_, care to give a comment?"

"Flash! Linda Park, Channel 4 WKEY News, would you mind telling our viewers what happened?"

"How about if I take Iris and you take the television reporter?" suggested Barry, a smile tugging at his lips. He left before Wally could answer.

Wally found he couldn't take his eyes off the television reporter. She must be new because he didn't recall seeing her previously, not that he watched the television news that often. That was something he needed to immediately change. Even from a distance she took his breath away. His heart skipped a beat when he didn't see either a wedding ring or engagement ring.

The reporter frowned slightly when he stopped in front of her. "Who are you? I want to talk to the Flash." She deliberately looked him over from head to toe.

His costume was similar to Barry's, but not identical. He had made a few changes. The most obvious was how he carried the costume, though, the reporter wouldn't know that. Unlike Barry, he didn't need a ring. During his recuperation, he had uncovered another trick of the speed force. He could create his own costume, seemingly out of thin air. It was one more thing Barry couldn't do, at least not yet. Despite the slight changes he had made to the costume, there was no doubt he was connected to the Flash. His costume was mostly red. He had yellow boots. He had incorporated the lightning bolt symbol. His next words removed any doubts that may have remained. "I'm the Flash. I'm one of the fastest men alive."

* * *

><p>AN: Thanks to everyone who stuck with this story to the very end. Special thanks to those who submitted reviews. The comments were insightful and several revealed I should probably use the services of a beta.

I typically write one-shots. From the start, I knew this story would be more than a one-shot and I questioned whether I would/could finish it. I decided to risk it. The story proved longer than I had originally envisioned. Worse, it took some unexpected turns. Originally, I had thought Kyle Rayner would have a role, one that complemented Dick's role. Likewise, I had pictured the person from the future being Eobard Thawne, not Bart. For various reasons, neither occurred. Worse, increasing work pressures and a waning interest made finishing this story a challenge. The end is a bit more abrupt than I thought it would be, but it's time had arrived. I hope you enjoyed the journey.


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